


Dirty T-Shirts and Pressed White Collars

by rachelladeville



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Auto Mechanics Teacher Dean, Gay Sex, Jealous Dean, M/M, Mentions of semi public sex, Mild Dom/sub undertones, No cheating, Pining Cas, Spanking, Substitute Teacher Castiel, Teacher A/U
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-19
Updated: 2016-05-28
Packaged: 2018-06-09 09:41:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 45,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6900760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelladeville/pseuds/rachelladeville
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cas thinks that substitute teaching his hard; probably harder than regular teaching. It’s been a long day too… the kids have been unruly and he’s ready for a nice break. Dean, the sexy auto shop teacher, had stepped into his classroom for a few minutes, teasing him mercilessly and leaving him aching with want. Now, with about fifteen minutes left before his next class, Cas decides to head for the teacher’s lounge and grab a much needed cup of coffee. <br/>As he moves through the halls, he starts to feel self-conscious. He doesn’t want to be paranoid but it sure feels as though students and faculty alike are staring at him, even whispering about him. Stepping into the restroom he sees why. A glimpse of himself in the mirror sets his stomach spinning in a sickening way. Dean’s greasy finger prints are all over his freshly pressed white collar. Again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Best Place To Sub

**Author's Note:**

> My dog is quite the editor, but he's not perfect. If you find mistakes, blame him.

 

Castiel Novak had been busy since graduation. There was lots of paperwork to be filled out before he was actually accepted into the Kansas public schools system and set up to teach. Since he hadn’t yet been offered a full time teaching job yet, he was going to be acting as a substitute in the meantime. He’d been told that the pool of subs was pretty low right now, so there should be no shortage of work. He’d also been busy unpacking and getting settled into his new apartment as well as getting acclimated to the town. He’d attended the University of Kansas, but had seldom left the campus during his time there. Now, having departed student life and transitioned into full blown adult living, getting to know his way around town had been a necessity. Sadly, being dumped had opened up plenty of time in his schedule for all of that.

Now a few weeks into summer, he found himself feeling more comfortable in his new life. He’d only stayed in Kansas after college because his boyfriend had asked him to. They’d been planning to live happily ever after. But only after Castiel had signed the lease and submitted his application to the local school system did his lover admit to having doubts and heading off to New York to go and ‘find himself.’

That had left Castiel feeling a bit shipwrecked here. His friends had all dispersed after graduation. Many had left for far away cities and the few who stayed local were living in Kansas City. Cas was quite cut off from them here in Lawrence which is halfway to Topeka. With his family all back east and his lover long gone, he’d had to work hard not to feel jilted and lonely.

The timing of everything may have left him powerless for now, but he’d decided to make the most of the coming school year. He’d use this time to gain valuable experience as well as focus on deciding where he actually wanted to live. Once he knew that for sure, he could get started with preparations to move there while he labored here. He told himself that he was taking control of his life, rather than simply living  the one that he’d blundered into.

Feeling more in control now that he had a plan for his future, he’d turned his focus to living his day to day as best he could. Lonely from his break up, he’d tried to get out and meet people. He’d signed up for an adult volleyball league at the local rec center and he’d also signed up for a book club that met weekly at the library. He’d contemplated signing up for a bowling league recommended by a well-meaning neighbor but was hesitant; he’d never bowled before. Ever.

He knew that once the school year started up he’d make friends amongst the staff but for now, he was achingly lonely. He was used to living in a residence hall that constantly buzzed with activity. On top of that, he was used to having a roommate as well. Having someone else to share his space with had always seemed like something to tolerate while he’d attended school. But now, with more space than he was used to and no one to share it with, the quiet was unnerving.

Castiel tried to focus on the positive by enjoying the order he was able to keep. No one else’s dirty clothes or dishes were encroaching on his tidy spaces. There was a place for everything and everything was in its place. It was perfectly lovely to come home and find everything exactly the way he’d left it and when he went to sleep at night, no one else’s noise was keeping him awake. But, sadly, he never woke to find someone else making food or coffee. No one else ever settled in with him to watch a movie or enjoy a beer. These activities just weren’t as fun without someone to enjoy them with. The only activity that was rewarding while he lived alone was reading a book. He had stacks of them. At his first book club meeting, he listened to several members talk about how difficult it was to get the reading done amidst so many distractions. Castiel bit his lip and didn’t mention that he’d read the book club selection as well as several others in the same timeframe.

He often woke earlier than he’d meant to. It was so strange. So often he’d hated getting up early for classes and longed to sleep in. Now that he had nowhere to be? He kept waking up at before his clock even read eight am. This morning when it happened he sighed deeply and headed for the shower. As he soaped up, he realized that he didn’t have a single thing to do between now and 7pm when he’d go to his first volleyball league event. It was billed as a meet and greet slash practice. What would he do for the next ten hours before he could justify getting ready for volleyball? He sighed as he decided that another trip to the public library was in order. He’d return the six books he’d read since his book club event and pick up a few more. Perhaps he’d just walk to the library… that would pass more time.

The weather outside was sunny and hot so he dressed lightly in a t-shirt and cotton shorts, slipping on comfortable running shoes before dropping his books into a backpack and heading outside. The walk to the library was pleasant. He passed a coffee shop and stopped in for a macchiato on a whim. It was a novelty to stand in the line and not feel rushed or even look at his watch. He settled into a seat by the window to enjoy his treat before continuing down the street. He was still a few blocks from the library when he made a spur of the moment decision to duck into a clothing shop. He only had two pair of dress pants, after all. As long as he had the time, he may as well pick up a few more pair before the school year started and he found himself busy again.

He spent over an hour in the store before leaving with two pair of pants and an argyle sweater that he felt made him look like a sexy college professor. He smiled as he stepped back out onto the picturesque street and enjoyed window shopping a little as he walked.

The library was a very modern building with several walls being comprised of solid glass and Castiel loved how it looked both inside and out. Entering, one could still smell the underlying scent of books and paper but it was interlaced with the soft, clean scent of new carpet. As he moved through the stacks he was wondering why they don’t bottle that scent or add it to candles. He’d gladly bypass apple-cinnamon scented candles for library scented candles. He smiled at the thought and carefully made his selections. He was trying to think of this time as a vacation and rest rather than allowing his mind to convince him that his life was empty and meaningless.

When he left the library, he headed back towards his apartment but by a different route. He wasn’t far from home when he passed the Lawrence Humane Society. On a whim, just to kill a bit more time, he decided to go in and take a look around; maybe pet the kittens or play with a puppy. He smiled as he walked down the rows of kennels, sticking his fingers in to greet the dogs as they jumped and barked and begged for his attention. He was just considering stopping at the counter and signing up as a volunteer when one particular dog caught his attention. Unlike all the other animals here, this particular dog was lying quietly in his makeshift bed. All the others were literally bouncing off the walls and barking loudly as if to say, Pick me! Pick me! But this dog was looking at him through forlorn eyes that spoke of countless disappointments. The dejected look that this mutt was wearing embodied the broken hearted feeling that Castiel had been nursing since his boyfriend left for New York.

“Excuse me,” he said, sliding up to the counter, “There’s a dog back there I’d like to see. Can I take him out?”

“Absolutely, I’ll have someone come up to assist you,” smiled the kind faced woman at the desk. He paced back and forth as he waited. It was only a few minutes before he saw a man in cargo shorts and a shelter t-shirt approaching them he looked back to the receptionist and said, “Will you put these behind your desk for me?”

“Certainly,” she smiled as she took his backpack and shopping bag from him.

The man in the khaki’s led him back the way he’d come. The sound of frenzied barking growing louder as they drew closer and reaching a climax as the heavy door to the kennels swung open.

“Who were you wanting to play with?” the tech asked him, obviously wondering which dog to take out.

“Um, down that way,” he gestured, uncertain of how to reference the animal he’d seen.

“Right here,” he said when they almost passed the sad little animal, “this is the one.”

“Well, good on you Miss Mable,” the tech crooned to the dog as he opened the door, “Just when I’d given up all hope for you… finally someone comes to see about taking you home.”

Cas looked to the tech with apologetic eyes, “I don’t think I can take her home. I was just passing and had some time. She seemed sad so I thought maybe I’d play with her for a while?”

“Yes, spend some time with her,” the man said reassuringly, “she’s one of the best we’ve got here. She walks on a leash really well and even does a couple tricks, she’s a very good girl. But no one seems to want her and I think she knows it.”

“If she’s so perfect then why doesn’t anyone want her?” Castiel asked, puzzled.

“She’s an older dog,” the man explained, “most people don’t like taking the elderly ones.”

“I see,” answered Castiel as he trailed along behind the man and the dog towards a pen outside. He stepped in with them and watched as the man unhooked Mable’s leash and hung it on the post at the gate before stepping out.

Cas watched as Mable settled down into the sparse grass and tucked her tail around her body as if it were a security blanket.

There were a few toys scattered about on the ground but Castiel ignored them, choosing instead to settle down near her. His legs were tired from all the walking anyway so he watched her as he rested them. After a few minutes, she scooted closer to him. He smiled and scooted a bit closer to her too. Soon he was stroking her head and by the time the tech came back to check on them, Mable’s head was in his lap.

“Awww,” said the man with a soft hearted grin, “Can you really go home without her?”

“I live in an apartment.”

“I don’t think she’ll mind,” he countered shrewdly, “right now she’s living in a cage. Besides, she aint like these other pups. She’s retired. She just needs a lap to cuddle in and someone to love her. Someone like you,” he finished pointedly.

“Some high pressure sales tactics you’ve got here,” countered Castiel, starting to get irritated with the guilt trip he was being subjected to.

“Naw,” laughed the man, unperturbed, “I just know love when I see it.”

Castiel glanced down at the soulful eyes of the floppy eared dog spread out in his lap. “Alright. How much would it cost me to take her home?”

Less than an hour later, and two hundred bucks poorer, Castiel left the shelter and headed for his apartment. He had just enough time to grab a shower before he needed to leave for volleyball. Then, tomorrow, he’d have a home visit from a representative of the shelter. If he passed the inspection, he’d be taking delivery of one elderly beagle mix dog who already knew how to shake hands and sit pretty.

Volleyball was fun. Practice was more about everyone getting to know each other than it was about actually practicing. He met a few people his age and left feeling glad he’d signed up. In the coming weeks, he’d likely have a lot of fun with this group.

Not surprisingly, he woke early again the next day. He used the extra time to drive over to the pet store and buy the equipment and supplies he’d need to care for Mable. The home inspection went fine but when he found himself alone with his new charge, he didn’t really know what to do next.

“Hello,” he said awkwardly to the pup, “Welcome to my home… our home. I mean, welcome home.”

Two saucer eyes, brown like expresso stared back at him. The animal blinked and then turned away, moving to sniff out the new space.

Knowing he was a first time dog owner, the worker who had inspected his home and delivered his pooch had supplied a lot of advice. He followed it now by staying in the kitchen and keeping his attention on the mac-n-cheese he was making for dinner. By doing so he was allowing his new furry friend the space to sniff around and get comfortable. He caught a glimpse of her once as she moved from the bedroom to the bathroom. He didn’t see her again until he was seated at the table, eating. She ventured up to him and licked his leg once before turning away to sniff her food and water bowls over by the fridge.

She pushed her food around a bit but didn’t really eat or drink anything. Then, she flopped down on the floor to watch Castiel eat his dinner. She was poor company.

When he finished, he moved about the kitchen to clean up. He was careful not to step on her and soon found himself smiling and even laughing a little as he monologued to her about one thing after another. He told her about his life and the events that had led him to the shelter and though she didn’t answer him… she did appear to listen. Her inquisitive eyes followed him around as he worked. When he finished, he moved to the couch and relaxed with a book.

Later, when he was consumed by the plot and forgotten all about her, Mable surprised him by leaping up onto the couch with him. He peeked around his book and giggled as he tried to calm his galloping heart. “Sweetie,” he breathed, “You scared the shit out of me!”

She looked at him as if waiting to see if she’d be shooed off the couch. Not wanting to startle her, he moved slowly as he reached out to stroke her head and her eyes seemed to warm as she settled in on him. She was a bit heavy on his chest, but she was warm and soft and every time he peeked at her she looked more and more like she belonged there.

The week before school started was a busy one. There were several meetings he had to attend and there were things he needed to do to get ready for the school year. His events with other subs were laughable in terms of their value socially. The vast majority of the other subs were either mothers with young children who wanted part time work or retired teachers who were supplementing their pensions. There were very few with whom he felt he’d actually develop any kind of real friendship.

“Thank goodness I adopted a friend,” he chuckled to himself as he left the school that afternoon.

When the first day of school rolled around, he found himself disappointed to not be working. But, he reminded himself, few teachers would miss the first day of school. Give it a week, he thought, they’ll all be calling in sick. Let’s face it. Kids cause headaches.

Monday of week two, he was grinning as shaved and got dressed for school. The town wasn’t huge but it had only one high school so the enrollment was over 1500 students. His task for today was to sit in for a teacher named Holly Hackbarth. Wow. What a name. Bet the kids made her life hell.

Today he’d be responsible for several classes which fell under the category of Home Ec. First and second hour he’d have Health and Nutrition. Third hour he’d be monitoring a study period and then he had lunch and a free period. Fifth hour he’d be teaching Life Skills and Sixth hour was Financial Literacy.

He told Mable how excited he was over breakfast and then said good bye to her at the door. He had a messenger bag with his things in it and a coffee thermos under his arm. He felt like a real teacher as he locked the door to his apartment and headed down to his car.

One step into the chaos of high school brought an onslaught of memories with it. The halls were packed with students and buzzed with energy. He worked hard not to appear lost, much the same as he had when he’d entered his own high school for the first time many years ago. Hopefully, the ‘lost puppy’ feeling would be the only similarity between that day and this one.

His first class went well, the only problem being some technical difficulties with the projector. He didn’t want to pat himself on the back too soon but he felt he had a rapport with the students; that they liked him. He didn’t sit down between classes, working to make sure his technical problem wouldn’t follow him from one class to the next.

Things were going well, but he’d been overusing the coffee. His thermos was empty way too early in the day. Lunch ended up being a challenge too. The cafeteria was huge. There was no ‘teachers table’ here as there had been when he’d attended high school. He wasn’t entirely sure where to go until he saw an attractive woman in a dress and heels carrying a lunch tray. She had to be a teacher. He took his own meal and followed behind her. He felt a bit creepy keeping pace behind her like a stalker and tried to minimize it by jumping forward to open the door for her when she stepped up to it. The sign on the door read, “Faculty Only”. She smiled her thanks as she moved past him but did not extend an invitation for him to join her when she settled at a table in what was clearly the teacher’s lounge.

He was the only man. He felt awkward as he settled his tray at the only table where someone was seated alone.

“Hello,” he said cheerfully as he sank into the seat, “I’m Mr. Novak, subbing today for Ms. Hackbarth.”

“Well, that certainly sounds fun,” the blonde woman smiled in good humor, “I’m Donna Hanscum. I’m PE and Health.”

“Nice to meet you. How long have you been here?”

“Oh let’s see… I think six years now,” she said thoughtfully. “Yep. Six years. Are you new? I’d remember a face like yours, you betcha!”

Castiel blushed a little at her forward compliment but couldn’t chase away a smile to mirror hers. It was warm and welcoming. He was glad this was the table he’d chosen to sit at. They chatted for a few minutes as they ate and when she picked up her tray to leave, he did too. They parted company near the gym and he continued back to his room for the day. He’d only just settled in at his desk when he remembered his empty coffee thermos. With an eye roll he got to his feet, grabbing the empty container and heading back to the teacher’s lounge.

When he entered, he noticed that the pretty teacher he’d followed in earlier was still sitting at the same table. She was clearly amongst her friends and they reminded him of the popular girls that had ruled the school when was a teen. Perfect hair, make up and nails were their defining characteristic and their tone was disparaging as they gossiped recklessly despite Castiel having entered and being privy to all they said.

The coffee maker was empty so he busied himself with making a fresh pot. He was opening cupboards looking for filters when the he heard the door click. He had his back to the room, so he had no idea who had entered. But clearly it was someone noteworthy because the entire table of women had fallen silent. He could practically hear their panties sliding down their thighs as they greeted the newcomer. “Hello Mr. Winchester,” one of them ventured in a ‘phone sex’ voice.

“Hello _ladies_ ,” came the husky response, “If I ever saw trouble… it’s sittin’ right here at this table,” he teased them.

Finding the filters, Cas pulled them down and turned, his eyes sweeping the room as he moved back to the coffee pot. His breath caught a little as he got a peek at the man who had managed to quiet this obnoxious group of ladies. Oh my God, thought Castiel, it’s fucking _James Dean_!

Castiel fumbled clumsy fingers as he tried to appear unaffected by the man who’d just leapt from his fantasy world into the real one. Winchester? Was that his name? Hot mother fucker. Dirty blonde hair, thick and mussed. Bright green eyes that shot daggers into his chest. Face sculpted with a masculine bone structure but delicate features. T-shirt and jeans. Was this guy a teacher or a janitor? Castiel snuck another look out of the corner of his eye. Damn. Did the guy know what he was doing? Tight black t-shirt stretched over his pecs… ripped jeans that rode low on his hips… red shop rag hanging from his back pocket. Grease marks on his skin and clothes. Fuck! He’d only just peeked for a second and already he’d been busted checking the guy out.

Nervous, Castiel returned his gaze to the coffee pot and shoved the filter down with a shaky hand. Why was he suddenly so nervous?

“Who do we have here?” the man asked in a voice like sex personified.

Castiel looked up, knowing he was being discussed. He saw the man turn those magnetic green eyes on him and lost all ability to brain.

“H-Hello,” he stammered as the man drew nearer, “I’m… I’m C-Castiel Novak. I’m a sub.”

Winchester’s smirk twitched and then broke into a full on smile. Okay, it wasn’t a smile so much as a predatory grin. The man laughed under his breath and took a few leisurely steps towards Castiel.

“You’re a SUB?” he asked throatily, somehow managing to make the word sound dirty.

“Yes, it’s my first day. I’m covering for Holly Hackbarth.”

“Well,” said the man smoothly as he leaned a hip on the counter next to Castiel, “I didn’t realize you were new. I woulda been more gentle if I’d known you were just gettin’ your cherry popped.”

Castiel couldn’t help it. His mouth dropped open and he gaped like a fish. Holy mother of all. Why wouldn’t his brain work? Who sucked all the air out of the room?

“What’s the matter,” asked James Dean as he leaned in closer, “Cat got your tongue?”

“S-Sorry,” he replied, irritated that he couldn’t respond with the same calculated smoothness, “I… yes… I’m…” wow. Pull it together Novak. “Let me start over,” he said, letting auto pilot take over so his brain could reboot. “I’m Castiel Novak,” he said firmly and with more confidence as he extended his hand to shake, “Yes, it’s my first day. I’m a bit nervous, as you can probably tell.”

His brain caught up just as he’d finished speaking and he was able to add on, “And yes, I suppose metaphorically speaking I’m a virgin since this is my first time.” he hoped he was at least showing gumption if not eloquence or savvy social skills.

“Well, Cas… Castio… Cas…” fumbled the golden freckled god in the dirty t-shirt.

Cas couldn’t help but smile at this embodiment of coolness stumbling on his own words. Belatedly, he realized that the man was simply having trouble pronouncing his name. This. This is why he usually introduced himself as Mr. Novak rather than Castiel. He’d just been so overwhelmed when he’d seen the man that he’d lost all ability to monitor his vocabulary and cadences.

Sweet lord… seconds were just ticking by and the two of them were still pumping their hand shake. They were only a hairsbreadth away from REALLY awkward.

“Cas.” The man said firmly.

“What?”

“Your name… I’m sorry. How bout I just call you Cas?”

“Um, sure,” he smiled, trying not to seem bashful as he extracted his hand from the dirty one he’d been clasping.

The awkward silence must’ve become too much for the ladies who were quietly watching him flail. Someone let out a snicker and it prompted someone else to giggle. The man turned away from him then. Once he was out from under the weight of those eyes, Castiel was finally able to get his brain, his hands and his body back in sync. He cursed inwardly in embarrassment as he turned back toward the coffee maker and began scooping grounds into the filter. As he filled the pot with water and dumped it into the reservoir, he could hear the man and the table full of ladies falling into easy conversation behind him. When had he broken out into a cold sweat? He wiped his moist forehead and upper lip on the back of his hand and then pressed the start button to make coffee.

Now, with nothing to do but wait for the pot to fill, he was left fidgeting. He didn’t want to sit down at an empty table and draw attention to the fact that he was sticking out like a sore thumb. But he also didn’t want to sit down with the ladies who were all having a good laugh at his expense right now either. So he settled for leaning on the counter near the coffee maker and trying to look cool. He should’ve known better. He’d never been cool for a day in his life. Not one.

He tried to watch without being too obvious, but it was impossible to keep his eyes from veering back to the very personification of sex that lingered nearby. Clearly he’d made an ass of himself. These ladies would never forget it; that was for sure. But if nothing else, he now had plenty of new spank bank material to last a long damn time.

When the coffee pot was half full, he grabbed it and began filling his thermos.

“Hey,” barked a now familiar masculine voice from behind him, “Save some for me.”

Cas stopped pouring, leaving plenty in the pot as he returned it to the burner. He was screwing the plastic lid on when he felt heat behind him. “Cas,” the man husked, far too close to be appropriate for men who’ve just met, “Can you pass me a cup?”

Castiel turned his face a little, just enough to catch a fleeting glimpse of those enigmatic eyes before reaching up into the cupboard above his head. His hand hovered over a large yellow mug with a smiley face on it. “How about this one?” he asked tentatively as he pulled it down.

“Sure Cas, thanks.”

Castiel had to work to keep from sucking in a deep breath as the man took the mug from his hand, fingers brushing lightly. This man was pressing into his personal space so much that his breath brushed Cas’ cheek and set it flaming.

He stood still as the man brushed past him and lifted the coffee pot to fill his cup. Once again, in the absence of Winchester’s heavy stare and close proximity, he recovered his ability to think and speak.

“It was nice to meet you…” Castiel baited, hoping the man would repeat his name. It was important to know the man’s name so he could scream it in his dreams tonight. And in the shower when he jerked off. Forever.

“Dean,” he answered without turning around. “Dean Winchester.”

“Like the rifle?”

Now he turned. He leaned on the counter with his mug of coffee in hand. Unlike Cas, he looked very cool doing it. “Yeah Cas, like the rifle,” he answered with another smirk.

Cas watched as Dean’s eyes wandered over his face. It brought a raging blush to his skin. He could feel the intensity of it. Hot, like a sunburn. He had to get out of here.

“Well,” he said as he picked up his thermos and turned to leave, “it was nice to meet you.”

As he walked out the door, he heard Dean’s saucy voice following him, “The pleasure was all mine.”

 

 

 

The walk back to his room was a long one. It took all he had to just walk a straight line and not trip over his own two feet. He wondered, belatedly, if he had students in his room waiting on him. He’d lost all track of time. Had there been a bell?

When he entered his room and found it empty he glanced at the clock. It had been less than ten minutes. He sat down at his desk, his body deflating like a leaky balloon. He was suddenly exhausted. When the bell finally did ring, his next class began filing in. He tested his legs and found them to be in order. His attention returned to the task at hand and he began to speak.

One of the girls in the front row was staring at him. Another snickered at him. When he looked at her, she raised a hand to her forehead in the way that people do when they’re trying to tell you that you have something on your face. He pulled a tissue from the box on his borrowed desk and that’s when he noticed the grease on his hand. He smiled. He must’ve gotten smudged when he’d shaken hands with Dean. Even the memory of their meeting set his heart beating faster. He wiped his forehead with the tissue and looked back to the young girl wondering if he’d gotten it all. She gestured now to his cheek. He wiped there too and she nodded, giving him a small smile.

He glanced at the tissue and saw several black marks on it. Damn. He must’ve wiped grease from his hands to his face when he’d wiped away his nervous sweat at the coffee maker. Suddenly, his mind presented him with an image. It was Dean’s eyes roving his face as he’d said to Dean, ‘nice to meet you.’ Ugh. The man hadn’t been checking him out… he’d been trying not to laugh at the black marks all over Cas’ face. But then, he remembered Dean’s parting words to him… “the pleasure was all mine,” he’d said. It had been said in a flirty and lurid tone too. Cas’ chest warmed as he thought of it. And, as he tried to force his mind to return to leading his class, he realized how much he liked the nickname that Dean had given him. Cas. It sounded good. He liked it. Especially the way Dean said it… like smooth bourbon in a darkened bar. Delicious.

He only left his classroom one more time that day and it was to run to the bathroom. But as he walked briskly down the halls, his eyes swept proactively around every corner in the hopes of catching a glimpse of Dean Winchester. He didn’t see the man again though. Not until he was pulling out of the parking lot. He saw the man leaning over to unlock his car as he was driving past. He couldn’t hold back a smile. The man had legs that bowed slightly and an enviable ass. Cas spent the rest of the drive home wondering if Dean wore boxers or briefs.

When he came through the door that evening, his faithful furry friend was very happy to see him. She turned circles at his feet and whipped her tail back and forth. Her eyes were filled with affection for him. He realized in hind sight that this was the longest he’d ever left her alone. He clipped her leash on and took her out to walk. Mostly, he wanted her to have the chance to pee. But the afternoon was lovely and he found himself enjoying the outdoors. When they returned to the apartment he settled in on the couch, patting the cushion next to him in an invitation for her to join him. She hopped up and worked her way into his lap.

“It was a good day, Mable,” he told her softly as he stroked her soft fur, “I was a real teacher. For today anyway…” he took a deep breath and let it out, relaxing into the cushions as thoughts of Dean Winchester took over his mind, “And let me just tell you, Lawrence High is the best place on earth to sub.”

.


	2. The Knuckle Dragging Neanderthal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Ravenwolf36 for editing this chapter. No one eats man-n-cheese now LOL

 

Cas soon relaxed into substitute teaching. It was a bit more challenging, he thought, to substitute than to have his own classroom. Continually entering a new environment day after day was a bit stressful. But, it was also giving him experience in a wide variety of teaching forums. And, he didn’t lack for work. Between elementary, middle and high school teachers calling in sick or taking time off he was quite busy. He was pleased to see he could manage his expenses on what he was making even though the actual amounts of his paychecks were varied. He set his mind to paying down the charges he’d racked up on his credit cards over the summer and kept his mind occupied with the perpetual question… if I don’t want to stay in Kansas, then where do I really want to go?

There were several states he thought of as enticing. California for one, and also Florida. He liked the idea of living near the ocean. But honestly, if he went to California with so little experience he’d likely end up working in a school where the students would frighten him. Yes, he wanted to make a difference in the lives of youngsters. He wanted to help shape how they saw the world and inspire them to change it for the better. Dead Poets Society was one of his all time favorite movies. So was Lean on Me. But, Cas knew he was no Morgan Freeman. He wasn’t capable of risking his own safety for the kids. If he was honest with himself, he had to admit not really knowing where he wanted to go next summer when he left this stagnant Midwestern town.

The good news? He was starting to make friends. He’d been invited out after volleyball last week and spent several hours at a local sports bar with a guy named Cole and his friend Victor. The two worked together at a local orthopedic clinic. Victor was a surgeon and cocky as hell. Cole did sports rehab and was somewhat more down to earth. The two were fun to hang out with and when they’d parted company he’d found himself invited to a barbeque at Cole's place this coming Saturday. He was looking forward to it. He’d been told it was okay to bring Mable, but he really didn’t think she was ready for so much activity. She was only now starting to come out of her shell at the apartment. On their daily walks she was still prone to cowering around other people and even other dogs. He did his best to keep things nice and calm for her. She, in turn, provided him with enough love and affection to keep him from feeling lonely. She’d started sleeping in his bed shortly after moving in and now Cas was so used to her snuggling up with him that he found himself missing her if she didn’t join him right away.

The next time he was tasked with subbing at the high school he was elated. He’d spent the last few weeks at the elementary school and was ready to be amongst older kids again. That was where he felt most comfortable. He spent far too much time choosing what to wear, his mind preoccupied with the possibility of seeing Dean Winchester again. The assignment was to fill in for an English teacher who was on vacation the entire week. Overjoyed with getting a chance to slide into his dream teaching job, he elected to wear his favorite new outfit which still hung in his closet with the tags on it. He smiled on Sunday night as he laid it out for the morning. The shirt was pressed and crisp. It was light grey with a sheen that made it look almost silver. The collar laid nicely over the argyle sweater which touted a blue background that he felt brought out his eyes. The diamond checks that formed the secondary color were a lighter blue with grey lines dissecting them. As he chose a pair of charcoal pants to match, he ran his hand along the artfully pressed seam and remembered how he’d felt like a sexy college professor when he’d looked at himself in the dressing room mirror.

He went to bed early, tucked in with Mable and full of excitement for how tomorrow would be. He didn’t wake bright eyed and bushy tailed, though. He had tossed and turned all night, waking up groggy. It wasn’t the best start.

He climbed begrudgingly out of bed, his mind still swimming with the lurid images that had kept him half awake all night long. Green eyes and a sexy smile. A wink, a nudge. He smiled as he stepped into the shower and wrapped a hand around himself. His imagination took over and supplied images of Dean bending him forward over a heavy wooden desk, pushing into him roughly from behind. He could practically feel those calloused hands on him, pulling his hair and spanking his naughty ass. He came in record time… body locked and a gasp escaping his lips. Dammit. He should’ve done this last night. He’d have slept better. Oh well. He was up now.

He took Mable for her morning walk and then ate a balanced breakfast before finally taming his unruly hair and putting on his carefully chosen outfit. As he stepped out the door, his eyes skimmed over his apartment. It was clean and organized, quiet. And thanks to Mable, it was now cozy and warm. It was home. He smiled as he locked up and headed to work.

His eyes were already aching for a sighting of Dean as he pulled into the lot. Damn. He had it bad. Once inside he searched for, and found, his classroom home for the next five days. Outside his door, the halls were quiet as he settled in at the desk and got out his things. As he worked to make himself at home and prepare for the day, the noise of students in the hall began to swell. It culminated as the warning bell rang and before long he had a full classroom of disinterested teenagers ignoring him in favor of the phones in their laps. He gave it his all… doing his best to entertain them enough to get them invested in the discussion of George Orwell’s novel, 1984. But alas, only a small portion of the students had even started reading the book. He did his best to choose exciting passages to get them interested in the text but it was difficult. By the end of the hour, he was a bit disheartened. This wasn’t quite the experience he’d pictured in his head.

When his free period rolled around, he ventured to the teacher’s lounge. Yes, a cup of shitty coffee would be nice. But honestly, he was more enticed by the possibility of a run in with a certain James Dean look alike. No luck on that front. Not the first or the second time he visited the lounge that day. It was lunch before he finally got a glimpse of Dean Winchester.

He’d gotten lucky upon entering with his lunch tray and been offered a seat by a lovely middle aged woman named Jody Mills. She was a math teacher and had a husband and young son at home. They chatted lightly about teaching and teens. She consoled him regarding his disappointment today and suggested that he simply try to find the “little teaching moments” that presented themselves from time to time. Teaching, she told him, isn’t the grand experience portrayed in movies. But the words and actions of the teachers did matter. And if you could find that singular moment where someone was actually looking for an answer and provide the right one? It was every bit as rewarding as he’d been hoping it would be.

Reassured by her pep talk, he’d relaxed and eaten his greasy school lunch pizza. He hadn’t realized how much fun he’d been having as he laughed along with her stories of motherhood until another tray clunked down on their table. Looking over he saw a familiar face. The woman who’d just joined them had been present when he’d met Dean for the first time. She may or may not have been the one who giggled at his awkward fumbling.

“Hello,” he said with a curt nod as she sank down into the chair next to Jody.

“Hey there,” she smiled at him, “You’re the new guy… right? Novak is it?”

“Yes,” he nodded, “and you are?”

“Pam.” She said with a wide smile, “Pamela Barnes. I teach art. What do they have you doing?”

“I’m covering for Mr. Frank,” he said as he took in her overall appearance. She seemed very rock-n-roll. Her clothing was edgy and her dark hair was a wild haystack of spiraling curls. Her carriage and demeanor spoke of someone who had partied hard in their youth and still listened to her music a little too loud. Her throaty voice was befitting of a jazz singer… at the very least it was the voice of someone who had smoked a lot in the past or perhaps still did. Cas suspected there was at least one tattoo hiding under her clothing and he’d bet his bottom dollar that she was a favorite teacher of many students. She was also likely the wet dream of almost every boy in school.

“Ah, well, enjoy that,” she said, referring to his English classes, “Too much reading for my taste.” She chuckled at her own self-deprecating remark as she picked up her pizza and ate with her hands.

Jody continued cutting hers with a fork and took purposeful bites. He ate his lunch slowly as he watched the two women fall into a discussion. He liked them both and was glad he’d had the chance to eat with them. Glancing at his watch he realized his time was up and stood, saying a quick goodbye to them both as he pushed in his chair.

It was as he walked towards the door, tray in hand, that Dean Winchester blew into the room like the cold front ahead of a storm. His presence inspired goose bumps and a delectable shiver. Cas  cursed internally at having to leave, just when the sexy beast had finally arrived. As he passed by, he worked to try and play it cool. He tipped his head in a nod of greeting and kept his mouth shut as they passed one another. He couldn’t, however, resist a sidelong glance. It ruined his coolness factor and he knew it. But he was rewarded… he got to watch Dean turn his head to follow Cas as they moved past each other. And that look, that predatory look, was the stuff of fantasy. Neither spoke. When the door clicked shut behind him and he was safely out of sight, he grinned like a madman. He was twice blessed today. He’d received a very interested look from a decidedly enticing man. And, bonus, he hadn’t done a single thing to embarrass himself for a solid ten seconds as they’d checked each other out. Fuck yes!

Cas held his head high as he returned to his classroom. His elevated mood lasted the remainder of the afternoon. When his last class ended, Cas organized his things. Most teachers would probably prefer to take their grading home with them and mark papers from a comfortable couch as they watched television. Not Cas. He loved his seat at a real desk, the smells of the classroom around him. He loved the voices passing in the hall, the muted whistle of the football coach outside his window and the occasional shouts of the players as they practiced.

He’d always loved school… even when he was a student and had to endure constant harassment. If only someone had been able to defend him from his tormentors. It would have made school into heaven. Even with the constant abuse he’d suffered, he’d loved the environment. The smell of new paper when a pack was opened. The sound of a pencil sharpener grinding. The incentive of being challenged to learn something new and the reward of receiving high marks for his diligent work. It appealed to him both then and now.

He lingered at his desk until all the papers were graded and the halls had gone quiet. He barely even noticed the sound of lone footsteps in the hall until they slowed and stopped at his doorway.

“Well, if it isn’t young Novak. Staying late?”

Cas immediately felt panic wash over him. He’d been so lost in his own little world that he’d completely forgotten that Dean Winchester shared his universe in any capacity. And now he was gulping for air as the object of his desire greeted him and sashayed into his classroom. Sex on legs.

“Hello Dean.”

“Hey Cas. Are you about done for the day?”

“Yes, I believe I am,” he said as he worked to gather all his piles together. He couldn’t think of anything else to say as he turned to the side and pushed the last stack of graded papers into the appropriate file in the bottom drawer. He could tell by the heat under his skin that he was blushing and he hated it… hated being so transparent. He wanted to play it cool, but honestly, he had no idea how. All he could do was copy what he saw in movies and he was so seldom able to pull it off.

When his desk was clear and there was nothing left for him to do with his hands, he stood and grabbed his bag. Still not looking at Dean he pushed in his chair and prepared to leave the classroom. He was hoping earnestly that Dean would speak again.

“Well then, wanna grab a drink?”

Sweet relief! Not only had Dean spoken again, but Dean was asking him out. He was certain of it.

“Sure,” he forced himself to say, working to keep his voice even.

“Ride with me?” Dean prompted as they stepped out into the hall.

“Sure,” he answered again, willing himself to relax.

“I’m parked behind the shop,” Dean said as he tipped his head to the left to indicate which way they needed to go.

Cas followed Dean’s lead and tried to keep his eyes from wandering over Dean’s body. It was a battle he was losing. Much like the first time they’d met, Dean was dressed down. His Ramones t-shirt had holes in it and his jeans bore several grease stains. The man didn’t have a rag in his back pocket this time and Cas noticed that his hands were clean. He must’ve washed up already.

“Who’re you sitting in for?”

“Mr. Frank,” said Cas, trying to appear casual as he looked at Dean in the face for the first time.

“Shit,” said Dean with an easy grin, “Not my cup of tea. You like it though, don’tcha?”

“Yes,” he agreed, hating to admit it to someone like Dean.

“Bet you’re a real bookworm huh?”

It felt like an insult, but it was said kindly so he tried not to react badly. “Yes,” he said as he forced a smile, “I do love to read.”

“My reading stops at the articles in playboy,” chuckled Dean.

“Are there really articles?” Cas asked, honestly wanting to know.

“Um… yeah…” hesitated Dean, “haven’t you ever…” his voice trailed off and Cas thought he may finally be seeing Dean at a loss for words. “Okay,” he said with a wink, “You got me. I don’t read the articles.”

Cas couldn’t suppress a laugh. Dean was laughing too as he ushered Cas through the door to the auto shop.

“But you don’t… you haven’t…” Dean tried, obviously not sure how to phrase his question.

“No Dean,” said Cas, knowing what Dean was referring to, “I’ve never even opened a Playboy.”

Cas trailed Dean through the shop area, trying to match the man’s stride. “Really? Not even once?” Dean pressed.

“Nope,” replied Cas, wondering if perhaps he’d read Dean wrong. Maybe the guy hadn’t ever meant to flirt with him. Maybe he was completely straight and Cas was simply being invited to drink beer after work. Maybe this was just a veteran teacher taking the newbie out? “It’s not really appealing to me,” Cas told him, forcing honesty and bracing himself for a negative response.

“I see,” Dean answered without looking back at Cas, “For me… it’s anything goes. If it’s naked, it’s for me.”

Cas had no idea how to respond. Did that mean that Dean went both ways? He had no idea what to say next. He kept quiet as they approached a set of double doors. Even without the glowing red exit sign over top, it would’ve been obvious that these doors led outside. The two men passed through them and heard the clunk as the doors clicked shut and simultaneously locked behind them. Dean was walking faster now as they moved out into sunlight from the cool shadow of the building. He leaned in to unlock the passenger door of a sleek black muscle car using a key. As he stepped away, Cas climbed in. The smell of old leather was pleasant and he rolled down his window as he waited for Dean to come around to the driver’s side.

The door groaned a little as it was pulled open and again as it closed. Dean looked very comfortable in this car; it suited him. Cas watched the man’s lips twitch into an unintentional smile as the car rumbled to life under his hand and those vivacious green eyes lit Cas up as they passed quickly over his face when Dean turned to look behind them, throwing his arm casually over the back of the bench seat as he reversed out of the space.

Cas couldn’t help but smile as he looked over at the driver. This man so obviously loved his car. Cas knew nothing about cars. He inquired about it, hating to admit how little he knew. But Dean didn’t seem to mind his ignorance. He told Cas the make and model as they motored out of the parking lot. Then, he proceeded to tell all about the detailed process of restoring the car several years ago and how much he loved continuing to work on it now. It was his pride and joy. Cas asked questions intermittently and soon they were pulling up at a small corner bar. It looked a bit seedy but he didn’t hesitate to climb out of the car and walk in with Dean.

The sign pronounced the place to be Harvelle’s Roadhouse. As he followed Dean to a booth in the back, he looked around. The place seemed to be a cross between a biker bar and a country saloon.

“You been here yet?” asked Dean as they slid into the red vinyl booth across from one another.

“No,” he said honestly, “I live on the other side of the river.”

“Well, this place is awesome,” he winked as he pulled menu’s from behind a napkin holder and passed one over to Cas, “Me and Pam come here all the time.”

“Pamela Barnes? The art teacher?”

“Yeah, we’ve been friends for years. You know she reads tarot cards?”

“You don’t say.”

“Yep. She’ll full on tell ya the future. She even gets it right sometimes.”

Cas smiled and nodded.

“Have you met Singer yet?”

“Who?” asked Cas, trying to be casual as he looked over his menu.

“Bobby Singer. Wood Shop.”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Well, his wife Ellen owns this place. That’s what brought us here the first time. But it’s the bacon double cheeseburgers that bring me back.”

“Is that what you’re having then?” Cas asked him, wondering if he was meant to order food.

“Hell yeah. Extra onions.”

Cas wrinkled his nose. His interest in possibly kissing Dean couldn’t be dissuaded. But the idea of greasy onion breath was a strong argument against it.

“Hey boys,” greeted a waitress as she stepped up to their table, “What can I getcha?”

“Two beers.”

Dean was sexy as hell as he leaned on the table to say it. But no matter how enticing the man was, it was difficult to swallow his irritation at having someone order for him… without even asking what he’d like to have.

“This is Ellen,” said Dean to Cas, “Wife of Bobby.”

“Oh, nice to meet you,” Castiel said graciously, reaching to shake her hand.

“Well, aren’t you polite,” she said as she looked disparagingly at Dean, “What’re ya doin’ out with this stray dog?”

Cas smiled but had no response. The way she’d called Dean a stray dog sent up a red flag of warning. The man’s predatory grin and easy flirtations were alluring, for sure. But Cas wasn’t interested in being used and discarded. Inside, he chastised himself for thinking Dean was anything but a player. The signs were all there.

“Well,” Ellen continued, “You boys ready to order or should we just start with the beers?”

“We’ll have the usual,” he told her. Then, he looked back at Cas and winked again. His body reacted, not caring if Dean was a sexual predator to be wary of. His body wanted a piece just the same. In fact, he’d been a few degrees too warm since Dean had poked his head into Cas’ classroom. And now, despite his efforts to focus on the red flag waving frantically at him, his entire body was working against him. It was all he could do to keep from moving over to the other side of the booth just to be closer.

“Extra onions for you too?” Ellen asked him, jerking him from his thoughts.

“No, thank you,” he said, “I’d actually prefer to not have onions at all.”

He watched Ellen laugh as she turned away from them, boots clunking on the wood floor as she made her way back to the kitchen.

“At least someone asked me what I wanted,” he said pointedly to Dean.

“Bitchy much?” Dean retorted, “Who complains about free food?”

“Free food?”

“Well, I’m buying aren’t I?”

Cas’ adrenaline from being with Dean was beginning to work against him. He felt anger exploding in his chest and it was hard to keep his tone civil. “Not if it requires me to put up with you being rude.” In his mind Cas silently added, ‘or requires me to put out and let myself be used.’

“C’mon, lighten up,” husked Dean, “I’ll get her back here and change the order if it means that much to ya.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Doesn’t look fine,” Dean commented under his breath, looking around the room and not at Cas.

“Hey,” said Cas, trying to be funny, “How about if I don’t bitch and you don’t whine?”

Dean’s head snapped back and his eyes locked on Cas. They were still green and shining but there was obvious distain in them. “I don’t whine.”

“Yeah,” Cas replied cooly, “And I don’t bitch.”

Just as he said it, Ellen breezed by and dropped two heavy mugs of beer on their table as she passed by them to go take another order.

“Right on time,” Dean commented sarcastically as he lifted the mug to his lips and took a long pull.

Cas nodded and picked up his mug. How had this deteriorated so quickly? All he’d been dreaming about for weeks had been a fucking shot with Dean. And now here they were… less than two feet of pitted wooden table top between them and they weren’t even looking at each other anymore.

Cas’ body was angry too… yelling at his brain to shut the fuck up and take this man home. His brain was yelling back for his cock to have some dignity. Across the table from him, Dean seemed to be sorry he’d invited Cas out. It was a mess.

They remained quiet for a few minutes, but as time went by Cas found his anger cooling and he tried again.

“Thank you, Dean, for bringing me out. I’m sorry if we got off on the wrong foot.”

Immediately he saw Dean’s posture relax and he knew he was forgiven. His dick thanked his brain and his brain agreed that a taste of Dean Winchester would be nice. So, with his body in sync once more, he set is his eyes on the sexy man across from him.

“Have you always lived in Lawrence?” he asked tentatively.

“Yep. Grew up here. My dad was a military man so we moved around a lot when I was little. But once my mom died, he left the corps and we stayed here permanently after that.

“I’m sorry about your mother,” said Cas honestly.

“Thanks, it was a long time ago.”

“How did it happen?”

“A fire. Dad was gone when it happened. I don’t think he ever really forgave himself for not being there. My brother and I made it though.”

“I see,” said Cas pulling his mug to his lips for a sip, “So he became your full time caregiver then? When he left the military?”

“I guess you could say so,” Dean answered softly, looking down at his beer, “He wasn’t father of the year or anything… but he did his best.”

“Is he still living around here?”

“Yeah, but we don’t speak much.”

“Why not?”

“He doesn’t…” Dean paused and looked as though he wasn’t going to answer. Finally, after a long pause he said, “… dad just… well, he doesn’t like my lifestyle. We don’t see eye to eye on much. He’s always liked my brother better.”

“And what does your brother do?” asked Cas, wanting to change the subject.

“He’s a lawyer. Fresh out of law school last year, actually. Now he clerks for the place where he had his internship. Some fancy place out in Cali.”

“California sounds exciting. Do you visit him there?”

“I did this last summer,” Dean answered, sliding his beer over to make room for the platter of food that was being set in front of him.

“Fun?”

“No.” he said as he lifted a huge burger to his mouth and worked to loosen his jaw enough to take a bite out of it. In his mind, Cas likened it to a snake unhinging it’s jaw to swallow a huge rat.

“Nope. I thought it would be fun, but Sammy’s too serious. All work and no play. He’s wound up as tight as you are Cas. It’s a pain in my ass.” The words were bad enough. Their delivery was worse. Dean had said it all with a mouthful of greasy burger.

Cas wondered how on earth he was meant to not be offended by that comment. He was stunned. As a platter was presented to him, he took it and set it down, glad to have something to focus on besides the insulting nature of Dean’s words.

When Cas finally looked up, Dean’s cheeks were puffed out like a rodent as he chewed on a bite that was way too big. Grease dripped down his chin. Napkin? Nope. Dean wiped it on the back of his hand. How had he ever found this man sexy?

His mother’s words leapt to mind. He heard it in her sing-song voice too. ‘If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.’

With that in mind, Cas kept quiet and focused on his food. Dean seemed to be doing the same. He unwrapped his silverware and used the knife to cut his burger in half. The weight of his palm pressing down as he cut had smashed the sandwich down a bit and when he’d finished, it was much more manageable. He tucked the napkin into his lap and lifted half the burger to his lips. It was fantastic. It was succulent with just the right amount of seasoning. Crispy bacon and melted cheese combined with the cool lettuce and tomato to make it a mouthwatering ensemble. He hummed as he chewed and swallowed, leaning back in the booth to enjoy the juicy bite.

He dabbed at the runaway grease with his napkin and had a sip of beer to wash it all down. Enjoying his meal, he took several more bites before looking back at Dean.

The man was holding several French fries in his hand and Cas watched as he dipped them in ketchup and shoved them in his mouth. One. Giant. Bite. Worse yet, he then proceeded to speak to Cas while an unappetizing show of mashed food rolled around in his mouth. Referring to their food Dean said, “Can I pick a winner or what?”

“It’s really good,” confirmed Cas turning his eyes away from the mannerless man across from him. When Ellen popped back to see how everything was, he told her truthfully that it was the best burger he’d ever had. She offered him a refill on his beer but he declined. Dean ordered another, already finished with most of his food. Cas picked up the other half of his burger and ate as much as his stomach would allow before pushing his plate away.

“So,” said Dean, setting down his mug, “What brought you to Kansas… cause I know you didn’t grow up here.”

“How can you tell?”

“Your pretentious manners. Probably grew up somewhere snobby huh?”

“I don’t think I’m pretentious,” said Cas, working to keep from elevating again. “Besides, my mother taught me that manners are a way of showing how you treat people.”

“Clearly she was right. If by people, you mean _the right people_.”

“What is that supposed to mean? Are you implying that I’m elitist?”

“Not the word I would’ve used, but I’m not as high on the social ladder as you. M’not fancy. I would’ve just said snobby. I _did_ say snobby.”

Cas let his mug come to rest on the table with a pronounced clunk. Dean seemed to see the anger welling up inside of him and relented. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. How bout we skip the fight and just go straight to you telling me where you’re from.”

“Chicago.”

“And what brought you here?” Dean tried.

“Scholarship.” Cas answered tersely.

“And what kept you here? After school? What made you want to stay?”

“It’s a long story,” said Cas with a sigh.

“I’ve got time,” said Dean, tipping his head to indicate the fresh mug of beer he’d just started working on, “C’mon Cas, what made you stay in Hicksville after you graduated?”

“A man.”

“Wow,” said Dean with a lop-sided grin, “You’re right. That was a long story.”

“Why did you even invite me out, Dean?” asked Cas, having reached the end of his patience.

“Honestly?”

“Yes.”

“You’re hot.”

“You’re joking.”

“Nope. Why’d you come?”

Cas paused, debating about his answer for a moment before deciding it didn’t matter anymore. C'est La Vie.

“You’re hot,” he said truthfully.

Dean smiled at that. Cas couldn’t help it. He smiled too. They shared a minute of mutual good feelings before Dean managed to kill it again. Cas watched as the man scooped up the remainder of his fries and slid them around his plate, sopping up the rest of his ketchup before shoving them all into his mouth. Then he licked his fingers.

“Ya wanna get outta here?” he said with a leer.

“Do you really think that sounds sexy when you’re talking with your mouth full?”

“Okay,” he said, pausing to swallow, “Now _I_ just want to get outta here.”

It was so flippant that Cas couldn’t help but get the message. Dean was done with him. He caught himself feeling let down. Dean was a pig. Social graces of whino. But there was a tug in Cas’ gut. No matter what, he had to admit it. A small part of him still wanted Dean. He was thinking it even as he wrinkled his nose in distaste as Dean, again, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

Cas started to slide to the edge of the booth when Dean did, getting to his feet despite still having half a beer left. This was the first time that Cas could remember being out with someone who disliked him enough to actually leave alcohol behind in their haste to leave.

Dean headed over to the bar where Ellen was mixing a drink. She looked up as they approached and said, “Get you boys something?”

Cas watched Dean give her a constipated look and say, “The check.”

“Ouch,” she said with a wince as she looked back and forth between them, “give me a sec, okay?”

“Sure thing,” said Dean, leaning on the counter and purposefully looking away from him. Cas used the opportunity to pull out his wallet and get his credit card out.  A few seconds later, when Ellen pushed the bill across the bar, Cas snapped his card down on it. Dean moved to protest and he cut the man off firmly.

“Don’t bother.”

Dean shot eye daggers at him and said, “Nice manners.”

By the time they walked back outside, Cas was seething. He slid into the passenger seat and kept his eyes facing forward, not willing to give Dean any satisfaction. The ride through town was too quiet. When they pulled into the lot, there were only a handful of cars.

“Which one is you?” Dean asked.

“The Buick,” he answered.

“Figures,” Dean huffed as he pulled into the space next to it. Cas was surprised when Dean actually got out of the car with him.

He took the three steps from Dean’s passenger door to his own driver’s side door without even looking at the man. The car unlocked for him when the key fob was detected and Cas was reaching for the door handle when from behind him he heard…

“Man, look, I think…”

“Don’t bother,” Cas barked again without looking. Then for good measure, he added, “If ever want to have dinner with a knuckle dragger again, I’ll look you up.”

“What?” gaped Dean.

“Did you not hear me? Or did you not understand that reference?”

“Um… the reference?” said Dean, shifting his weight from once foot to the other.

“You’re a Neanderthal, Dean.”

“Well, I knew we weren’t gonna be seeing each other again – that was obvious. But I _was_ gonna offer to just help you get off,” Dean threw back at him, “but I’m fresh out of interest in doing favors for the new guy. You can go home and whack off for all I care!”

“What’s that?” barked Cas with a bite to his words, “It was hard to understand you without food in your mouth!”

Cas found himself literally shouting the words at Dean’s back as the man stalked away from him. But, he had to admit, he was more than pleased with his newly discovered ability to get over his awkwardness and exchange what he thought were damn decent rebuttals to Dean’s insults. He was boiling with anger as he climbed behind the wheel, indignant and frustrated. Hearing Dean’s loud motor rev and his tires squeal as he burned out of the lot made it even worse.

Sadly, once the heat of his anger began to fade, he was disgusted to find himself thinking of Dean’s offer to ‘just help him get off’ and pining for it. It took hours for him to calm down enough to settle on the couch and pet his dog. Hours more before he was in any way ready to sleep. And then, he endured another night of restlessness as his dreams assailed him with visions of Dean; both good and bad.

It was a roller coaster ride. One moment he was wanting to reach out in anger and slap Dean’s smug face. The next he was ripping the man’s shirt off, buttons flying as he flung himself forward into bed with Dean. The next dream was him trying to punch the man, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t get is fist to pick up any speed or power. After that, he woke sweating and hard from a surprisingly realistic imagining of himself bent over that shiny black hood, Dean forcefully holding down his head as he fucked into Cas from behind.

When his alarm went off on Tuesday morning, he was more tired than he’d been when he went to sleep.

.


	3. A Colossal Douche & A Huge Bag of Dicks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, Ravenwolf36, for the lightning fast edit!

 

Tuesday sucked eggs. His dinner with Dean had been both a crushing disappointment and a low point in his collective dating experience. Now, as he pulled into the high school and caught a glimpse of Dean’s shiny Impala from across the lot, he was reminded that sooner or later he’d come face to face with Dean again. Like it or not, he would have to be on his best behavior too. If he indulged his desire to give the man a cold shoulder, it would only be an affirmation that Dean had been right about him… that he actually was stuck up, snobby and elitist. No fucking way he’d give Dean the satisfaction.

So, when he saw the man in the lounge, he had to force a pleasant face and pretend that everything was fine. But everything wasn’t fine. Especially when his body betrayed him and warmed for Dean as he’d come strutting in. His cock had taken notice too and he felt a familiar blush creep into his cheeks against his will. It wasn’t fucking fair how this man could still affect him so much even when he didn’t actually _like_ him.

Cas’ life at Lawrence High quickly became a game of stealthy avoidance. He knew about what time Dean usually ambled into the lounge for lunch now… so he began watching the time carefully and made sure to exit beforehand. He rationed out his coffee now too, not wanting to have to go make a pot on his free period because he knew Dean used the lounge often during that timeslot. It was frustrating to let his life be controlled like this.

The worst part was that his gig as an English teacher would be over on Friday. In the future, he’d always be adopting the schedule of whichever teacher he was covering for. This would make it even harder to avoid the man.

It was maddening how relaxed Dean was. He didn’t appear to be the least bit affected by the situation, while Cas was going out of his mind! The threat of seeing Dean lurked around every corner, the memory of their time together dominated his thoughts and at night he was plagued with the best and worst sorts of dreams. He often wondered how long this ridiculous crush would last. He was a grown man. Sooner or later this would pass. He knew it would. But how long? How long would he have to suffer?

Mable seemed to notice his melancholy mood. She appeared to linger a bit closer to him lately and would often rest her head on his knee, sympathetic eyes looking up at on him. She lacked the ability to talk. But she could communicate, that was for sure. She couldn’t hug him either, but her desire to soothe him was obvious.

He ate his lunch with Jody for the rest of the week, occasionally joined by Donna. It was fun watching those two together. Donna, always bursting with enthusiasm, was a bit much for Jody’s more relaxed ways. But it was impossible not to love Donna and he found himself smiling as Jody worked hard to resist becoming closer friends. He really enjoyed having lunch with them, except for the one time that Dean had entered.

At first he thought he’d just lost track of time and missed his widow of opportunity to exit before Dean’s arrival. But when the man zeroed in on their table and began walking purposefully towards them he knew Dean wasn’t just here for coffee. He watched the man approach with all cylinders firing, ready to engage. But when Dean Winchester stepped up to their table, he looked right over Cas’ head and spoke directly to Jody.

“Hey Jody, do you still have sixth hour free?”

“Yeah, why?” she asked him, obviously leery of being railroaded into some irritating chore.

“Well, one of my guys just found out his girlfriend is knocked up. I talked to him a little about it but I think he could use your brand of wisdom. This,” he paused and huffed a shallow laugh, “This, is really not my area of expertise. Can you make time to sit down and give him some advice?”

“Of course,” she said with a sigh, “I have his girlfriend Meg in my statistics class. I wonder what they’ll do.”

“Well, he told me he’s not ready to be a dad but he doesn’t know how to tell her that and not come off like an ass. Maybe start with some suggestions for that, huh?”

“You make it sound so simple,” she chided.

“You’re my hero,” he told her, giving her what Cas now realized was a trademark wink. As he watched Dean leave, he felt Jody’s hand fall on his shoulder. He looked to her and nodded understanding when she over enunciated to him, “Teachable moments.”

The initial shock of seeing Dean unexpectedly wore off quickly as he absorbed this new side of the man. He hadn’t realized it until then, but he’d been cultivating a very one dimensional view of Mr. Winchester. This new side of him, the one who had personal relationships with his students, carried their confidences and helped them with their problems was new to Castiel and it weighed on his mind.

At least he had a few things to do in the evenings to distract himself… book club and volleyball among other things. When the weekend rolled around he treated himself to a night on the couch watching some of his favorite old movies and cuddling with Mable. He treated himself to pizza delivery and shared bite-for-bite with his furry friend. Cole’s barbeque on Saturday was fun, and had lasted late into the night as the guys settled around the fire with beers. On Sunday afternoon, he took Mable to the dog park for the first time and she enjoyed it much more than he’d been expecting. Her eyes were bright as she surprised him by stepping away from his side to play with several other dogs. It was more relaxing than he thought it would be, just sitting around on the benches and chatting with other dog owners as their four-legged companions played themselves out.

When Monday rolled around, Cas found himself assigned to the middle school. It was a welcome reprieve to be distanced from Dean. It was much easier to deal with his nagging crush when he didn’t have to see the man every damn day.

He and Mable were quite used to each other now. She stayed close to him as he puttered around the kitchen, artfully keeping out of his way while heated up left over spaghetti for dinner. As always, he carried on conversations with her as if she could talk back to him.

“So, Miss Mable, it looks like I may have the day off tomorrow.”

She cocked her head, obviously paying closer attention now that she’d heard her name. “If I end up not going in,” he told her sweetly as he tossed her a cold meatball, “I think I’ll take you back to the dog park.”

“And,” he said, in a sugary sweet puppy talk voice, “I’m going to sleep nice and late! Aren’t I? Yes I am! Cause I deserve it!”

He pushed the plate of cold pasta into the microwave and then turned to the fridge to pour himself a glass of milk while he waited. He grabbed a pack of Oreo’s from the cupboard and carried everything to the table while he waited for the main course to heat up. When the timer dinged he stirred it up and reset. As he was drumming his fingers, waiting for the longest ninety seconds in the world, he heard an alert from his phone. Flipping it over, he found a text from Cole and answered it. Then, just as he was about to set it down, he also got an email alert. He opened it and read half a dozen words before his heart sank.

“Dammit,” he said flatly, looking over at Mable, “No dog park for you tomorrow. Sorry girl.”

She tipped her head in curiosity at his tone. He wasn’t happy and she seemed to sense it. “Yep, that’s right, daddy has to go to work tomorrow.”

It was rotten luck. Not only was he being summoned back to the high school, but he was going to be spending at least two days in his least favorite part of the school. The gym.

Later that night, he went to the closet to lay out his clothes for the morning. He sighed sadly as he walked past his pressed shirts and trousers towards the seldom used items on the bottom shelf near the back. He pulled out the two pairs of shorts he had that were suitable for his upcoming stint as the PE teacher. His choice was between a pair of blue Dockers shorts in a heavy cotton blend and a pair of khakis that were a bit shorter than he liked.

Some running pants would’ve sufficed or some nylon athletic shorts… he had lots to choose from. But high school gym class had taught him a few valuable lessons that he couldn’t disregard just because he was a teacher now and not a student. The biggest of those lessons was to never, never, NEVER wear elastic waist shorts to gym class.

He’d be nervous enough and out of his element already… no need to add in the fear that some smart ass jock would step up behind him and jerk his pants down when he wasn’t paying attention. No sir. When he blew his whistle in the gym tomorrow he’d be doing it in shorts that had a button and a zipper.

Emerging from the closet he laid out the dark blue shorts and two t-shirts. He’d be packing an extra shirt in case he got sweaty and wanted to change. After brushing his teeth and cleaning up the kitchen, he tucked into bed with Mable and cracked open this week’s book club selection.

Morning found him well rested and ready for the day. Hopefully, he’d survive it without incident. There was a lot of potential for embarrassment today. Not only was he the gym teacher (enough said) he’d be at a high risk of running into Dean at any time too… because the auto shop was right next to the gym. The emergency exit doors from the gymnasium actually opened up just a few yards from the doors that he and Dean had walked through together when they’d climbed into Dean’s car about ten days ago. He must’ve been more nervous than he’d thought too, because as he was getting ready to leave, he accidently missed the opening to his thermos and dumped hot coffee all over the counter. Splatters hit his white shirt and a mini wave of dark brown liquid sloshed over the edge and lapped onto his shorts.

“Dammit!” he swore, not knowing which mess to clean up first, “Fuck my life!” Mable watched from a few paces away as he worked to clean up the counter, cupboards and floor. Then she stepped smoothly out of his way when he stomped to the closet to pull out the only other acceptable shorts he had left. He stepped into them and replaced his stained white tee with a blue one from his dresser and checked the mirror. It was fine. He looked fine. With an irritated growl he grabbed his bag and headed for the door.

“It’s not going to be a good day, Miss Mable. I can feel it,” he confided as he stepped out and locked the door. At least he had no issues with traffic and still made it on time.

He gracefully maneuvered his sedan into the lot and pulled around back to park in the small lot behind the gym… just a few spaces down from Dean’s pride and joy. He couldn’t help but look at it as walked by. He was later than usual, but it’s not like he had lesson plans to prepare. All he had to do was hunt down the head custodian and get himself a key to the equipment room and he’d be ready for class. Today’s activity? Volleyball. Thank fuck he’d been playing a lot of it lately, he wouldn’t make too poor a showing.

As he neared the building, he heard the telltale sound of pneumatic tools working in short bursts. Glancing at his watch he saw it wasn’t even 7:30 yet. Strange, the first class was at 8:05. He slowed a little, unable to deny his curiosity as to why there were tools running in the shop before class was even in session. The double doors were propped open with a 2x4 and there was a fan perched in the doorway. He could hear voices coming from inside, intermittent laughter. Pausing for a moment he caught sight of Dean. His first instinct was to look away quickly. But it wasn’t necessary. Dean hadn’t seen him and wasn’t even looking this direction. He was fully absorbed in lifting the driver’s side door of a late model sports car. Cas watched him, intrigued, as he worked to hold up the door while a student fumbled to get it attached. Dean’s face was turning red with exertion as he waited.

Cas was no longer moving, not even slowly. He stood watching as the two worked together to get a door mounted to a car. The paint colors didn’t match, but Cas guessed that they soon would. The fan, he now realized, was blowing air out of the shop. Likely it was meant to suck fumes out. The air it displaced had a certain stink to it that he couldn’t place but it tingled the inside of his nose. The stinky breeze also carried the sound of voices on it. The longer he stood watching, the more clearly he could make them out. From the bits and pieces he was able to decipher, he was able to put together that this was Dean working with a single student on a personal project. This had nothing to do with class or school, in fact, the car they were working on probably belonged to that student.

Curiosity satisfied, he began walking again, wanting to move on before he was busted staring. But as he entered the gym from the back and crossed the floor, he found himself unable to conjure any of last week’s anger towards Dean.

Was the guy a bit on the rough side? Yeah. Abrasive? Yeah. Arrogant? Hell yeah. But he wasn’t a bad guy. He hadn’t done anything to deserve the kind of anger that Cas had directed at him. Puzzled by his own feelings, Cas continued to think about Dean for most of the morning.

He unlocked the equipment room and tugged out a huge bag of volleyballs. He checked the tension on the nets which were already set up. With a few minutes to spare before the bell rang he sat down on a bench and poured himself a thermos lid of coffee to enjoy while he checked his phone. He didn’t get up when the bell rang and students came flooding in. He simply greeted them as they passed by him on the way to the locker room. When the kids emerged in their shorts and t-shirts he earned himself nods of approval by skipping the part where they start out by running laps. They just did a few easy stretches before getting started.

He spared the weak ones the humiliation of being picked last and numbered the students off to create the teams that would play each other. He took volunteers to be line judges and then once the teams were on the courts and playing, there wasn’t much for him to do. He paced around idly watching the games but his attention was mostly focused inwardly as he considered Dean.

With a little distance and time to cool down, he was starting to realize that he’d overreacted to the unpleasant aspects of his time with the man. He had to be honest with himself. If Cole or Victor or any other new acquaintance had acted like Dean did, he would’ve had a very different reaction. He may have thought it rude if Cole had talked with his mouth full, but it wouldn’t have bothered him too much. He certainly wouldn’t have pointed out the man’s poor manners to him verbally. Doing that had been every bit as rude as Dean’s table manners had been.

Looking back now, he could see several things he’d done that were out of character for him and when he tried to see them from Dean’s point of view he had to admit… he _had_ appeared snobbish. And yes, Dean had said a few things that were snarky to him. But why wouldn’t he with Castiel wrinkling his nose and rolling his eyes at every little thing.

Why had he acted that way? The more he thought about it the more he thought he might know the answer. It was probably because he’d been pining so much for Dean that he’d built the man up in his mind as the be all/end all of what he wanted. Then, when Dean turned out to be imperfect, he’d been angry about it. Let down. Irritated and frustrated.

The two of them had locked horns like rival stags, neither backing down. It wasn’t like they hadn’t talked at all. They’d said a lot to each other… especially Dean. He’d opened up about his family and their dynamic… losing his mother… his fractured relationship with his father…

Wow. And in response to Dean’s openness, what had Cas shared with him? Nothing. He’d given snarky one word answers to the questions he’d been asked and had a hissy fit about the formalities of what he’d be eating and drinking and bitched about table manners.

Yes, manners are important. But they’re not everything. Dean may talk with his mouth full, but he’s a good man. And Cas had treated him like vermin. It hadn’t felt like that at the time, but that’s what had happened. Fuck. He owed Winchester an apology and he knew it.

Noticing the clock, Cas blew his whistle and ended the class a few minutes early. He smiled at the thankful faces who now had a little extra time to enjoy between classes. He tried to repeat those niceties for each subsequent class and found the day passing easily. During his lunch he sat with Donna and kept her entertained with funny stories from his stint at the junior high last week. After she left, he made a pot of coffee and refilled his thermos, no longer watching the clock fearfully.

He wasn’t going to seek Dean out and apologize. They’d both behaved poorly and there was no need to make a big thing out of it. But from now on when he saw Dean, he wouldn’t have to pretend like he was okay and bite back angry words. He felt very peaceful about things. When he saw Dean next, he’d smile and nod like he’d been doing all along. But now, he’d really mean it.

He had a free period after lunch. What did a PE teacher need a free period for? With over 40 minutes to kill and nothing pressing to attend to, he wandered up to the library and settled into a comfy chair to read the paper. It was on his return walk to the gym that he saw Dean up close. The man appeared to be walking back towards the shop from the teacher’s lounge and caught sight of Cas just as he was entering the gymnasium. His jeans were tighter than usual, trusty red shop rag hanging from his back pocket. T-Shirt dirty and sweaty.

Cas turned his head and smiled as he walked through the double doors and Dean smiled back. Despite everything, Cas still felt that same tingle when he passed by Dean. It started in his chest and radiated out into his extremities. Before the feeling had even passed, he heard Dean’s voice at his back.

“Hey, Cas, ya got a sec?”

“Sure,” he answered, taking a deep breath and turning back. Dean was stepping through the double doors and into the empty, darkened gym when they met up. Cas stopped short of too close and leaned on the cool wall. Here, they were not visible to anyone passing in the hall, but all the doors were open. Anyone could walk in at any moment. The cool dark gym offered only the illusion of privacy to them, not the real thing.

Strange, he thought, how no matter what emotions he was feeling for Dean… desire, anger, frustration or even fear… his body’s reaction was always the same. Tingly and electric. Alive.

Despite his willingness to apologize he remained quiet and allowed Dean to speak first.

“Thought that was you,” the man said with a half-smile, “You look so different today.”

Cas was having trouble looking Dean in the eye, but he flicked his eyes to the man as he nodded to show that he was going to listen to what Dean had to say. Then he watched his feet fidget as Dean began to speak.

“I wanted…” said Dean carefully, leaning in a little and lowering his voice, “... to say that… well _fuck_. Cas, man, I was a huge bag of dicks okay? I know I was and I feel kinda bad about it. I ain't gonna say I’m sorry for it. I am what I am; and I’m not changin. But I just… well… I hope there’s no hard feelings or whatever, ok?”

With that said, Cas was finally able to look back up at Dean and hold the man’s gaze. “Okay,” he agreed softly, “no hard feelings.”

“Awesome,” Dean grinned, standing up a little straighter. “I mean, you know, I told ya that I play for both teams. But I guess if you had been a chick, I woulda been better behaved. I kinda felt like since we’re both dudes, I could turn off all the fake stuff and just be myself.”

Cas dropped his eyes to the floor again, ashamed. Yep. Dean was just being himself and trying to get to know Cas. Really know him, not just put on a show like most people do on a first date. Cas felt like an ass for the way he’d acted.

“But,” Dean added, “I guess I gave ya an extra big dose of the real me, didn’t I?”

Cas couldn’t hold back his smile. It felt like Dean was trying to bridge the gap between them. He wanted to help.

“Well,” he admitted, “It wasn’t just you, I acted like a colossal douche. I feel bad about it now.”

“Is that so?” Dean prompted, leaning into Cas’ space with his smile turning flirty.

Where did the man get all this confidence?

“Too bad you weren’t feelin’ like slumming it,” whispered Dean, unbearably close now, “We coulda had a great night.”

Cas forced himself to look up again, meet Dean’s eye. It was hard with the man standing so damned close. “Is this the part where you offer to help me get off?” Cas asked tentatively, uncertain how his words would be received.

“Why not, Cas?” Dean whispered softly, “We both know we want it to happen. I feel it when you look at me ya know.”

“You do?” he whispered back, mouth gone dry.

“I do, man. I feel it. All the way down.”

Cas watched Dean make a downward gesture with his hand.

“Down?” he parroted, his breath picking up.

“Yeah Cas,” Dean whispered as he moved in, pressing Cas back against the wall and pushing their groins together, “All the way down here. And now you’re wearin shorts. I can hardly stand it…” Dean’s hand moved achingly slow, softly brushing up his thigh and coming to rest over Cas’ hip bone.

Cas was at a loss for words, working to control his breathing which had grown quite heavy. Despite feeling a bit light headed, he forced his eyes to stay locked on Deans. He was determined to stand his ground and not be the first to look away.

“Don’t you wonder what it would be like, huh?” Dean husked as he leaned in closer, breath tickling over Cas’ flushed cheeks, “Us? Together? It’d be hot, right?”

“Hot…” whispered Cas, now reduced to unintelligible repeating, mimicking like a toddler as he felt Dean’s grip tighten on his hip.

The zing of electricity that shot through his body when Dean’s lips, moist and soft, brushed over his own was explosive. He sucked in a breath and both his hands tensed at his sides, searching for something to cling to… something solid to anchor him. But the fingers of both hands found only the cool painted cinderblock wall behind him.

The contact of their lips had been just a whisper, but the effect it had on Cas was far reaching. He was putty… putty in Dean’s capable hands. It was only the heart stopping sound of the warning bell that broke the spell. The sound bounced off the shiny floor and tall walls, amplified. Cas tensed and looked around, squeezing out of Dean’s caging arms, extracting his body from the aura of warmth that had been humming around them where they lingered.

“I… um… I have… class… this is fifth hour, right?” he panted.

“Yeah,” chuckled Dean, not nearly as out of sorts as Cas, “Guess I’ll see ya around Cas,” he said teasingly, voice smooth and thick and heavy like molasses.

Cas stood dumbfounded and watched him leave, tipping his head a little so his eyes could follow the enigma of Dean Winchester down the hall. The man's confident stride never wavered as his silhouette got smaller and faded into the flood of students. Cas finally came all the way back to earth when he was jostled by the thump of a gym bag hitting his arm. A student was pushing by him as he headed into the locker room.

Still recovering, Cas took a deep breath and moved to the light switches. They hummed as they kicked on overhead and the sound was noticeable even over the drone of noisy students out in the hall, and the muffled shouts from the locker rooms.

By the time kids ambled out of the locker rooms, the lights were at their full strength. He moved among the students and counted them off into teams as they goofed off around him. The numbers weren’t even this time and he wound up being short one judge. He took the position himself and willed his foggy mind to focus and pay attention to the game. There were a few times where he noticed students whispering and pointing at him from their places on volleyball court. He didn’t think much of it, knowing his outfit was a bit out of fashion. Kids are persnickety about these things.

He only had once class left when he headed back to the teacher’s lounge. He just couldn’t continue sipping of hot coffee while on the verge of sweating. He needed a cold drink. He was dropping change into the vending machine when one of the vixens walked by. Vixens. That’s what he’d nicknamed the clique-y group of ladies who shared a table in the teacher’s lounge every day over lunch. They’d been witness to his first meeting with Dean and had laughed at him. He thought it likely that they had all been members of the “A” group in high school and then sorority girls in college. They were meticulously beautiful and extremely gossipy. Pam, sadly, was part of this group. Cas liked her much better when she wasn’t with them.

“Hi there,” said this one, the brunette with the big pouty lips and straight hair.

Looking around the room and seeing that they were alone, he answered her. “Hello.”

“I’m Lisa,” she said as she walked over, “Braeden. I’m one of the math teachers. And you’re new, right?”

“I guess so,” he answered, though it had been almost a month since school started.

“Well,” she said as she bent over to pull something from the bottom row of cabinets nearby, “Nice to meet you. What did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t,” he said firmly, not wanting to engage this woman who was clearly nothing but trouble.

“Castiel Novak,” he finally answered when she gave him a disparaging look.

“Cas – ti - el?” she said, over selling the difficulty of pronouncing his name.

“Yes,” he replied as he bent over and retrieved the water bottle he’d spent $1.75 for.

“Nice to meet you, officially,” she said. He watched her eyes work their way down his body. Then he rolled his eyes as she took in his shorts and let out an audible giggle.

“Nice to meet you too,” he said acerbically as he brushed past her to leave. Even a run in with a materialistic bitch who had laughed out loud at his clothes couldn’t dampen his mood for long. His body was singing with endorphins from his sexually charged run-in with Dean. He let the buzz of it carry him through the rest of the day with no regard for anything else. After the last class he put away the balls and locked up, returning the key to the custodian. There were no papers to grade or residual work remaining. He was free to go.

As he crossed the back lot to his car, his eyes wandered over to the auto shop. The door was open again, fan blowing fumes out into the cool September air. The sounds of banging and clanging over the drone of laughter and voices carried on the soft breeze. There were still students working in there, despite the last bell having rung. Dean was still working in there, after hours, likely helping young boys with their personal projects. A good teacher. Cas felt the warmth in his chest again as he slid into his car. He exited the lot with a lingering smile.

When he got home earlier than usual, Cas went straight for the leash. He was already dressed for walking his dog anyway. “Hey little lady," he cooed to her, "it looks like someone gets to go to the dog park today after all.”

She seemed quite excited, but she couldn't possibly know what he’s just told her. It must've just been his tone of voice that she'd picked up on. After all, his melancholy mood of the last week or so was long forgotten already. He could barely keep the smile from his face.

“Oh, wait,” he said to Mable as they made to leave, “Give me a sec, daddy needs to pee.” Dropping the leash, he bounded to the bathroom. It was when he unzipped his shorts that he had a startling realization…

The looks and giggles from pointing students… Lisa Braeden laughing out loud at his shorts… it all made so much sense now as he looked down at his khaki’s. There, hovering right over his hip was a large greasy hand print. Most telling was the thumb print with its sweeping arc right over the soft spot on the inside of his hip bone.

“Goddammit!” he howled, “I’ve been wearing this around all damn day!”

Mable was standing in the doorway of the bathroom, looking at him with quizzical eyes as he fumed.

“Fuck, this is so embarrassing!” he griped to her as he dropped his shorts to piss. He continued complaining vocally as he changed his shorts and tossed the khakis into the trash.

“C’mon little lady,” he said as he headed for the door, “Let’s go to the dog park.”

There was only one other dog when they arrived and she immediately made friends with it. running off to play. Cas sank down on a bench alone and pulled out his phone. He keyed in the schools website, accessing the teacher contact list and searching for a cell number for Dean Winchester.

When he'd found it, he tapped out a message... “Did you notice that you left a giant hand print on me today?”

“Who is this?” came the instant reply.

Fuck! How many people did Dean have his hands on today? His phone buzzed and on the screen he saw another message, “Relax Cas, I know it’s you.”

“I just got home and saw that I’ve been wearing your hand print on my hip all goddam day!”

“Good.”

“What’s good about that? I’m so embarrassed! People saw me! How many teachers at that school would leave a grease print on somebody? Because I can only think of one!”

“Well then,” responded Dean, “They’ll know who you belong to won’t they?”

.


	4. A Sweet Treat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Ravenwolf36 for editing!

 

Cas’ heart was beating wildly as he read Dean’s reply. The words were so enticing… to imagine himself as belonging to Dean in any capacity was intoxicating. He stared at the screen of his phone and thought about how to respond…

“I’m yours… come fold me into any position you want and fuck me to kingdom come,” that was, sadly, the most honest thing he could’ve typed out at that moment. He forced himself to take a deep breath and think it over.

What to reply? Think. Think. Something brilliantly funny and half true – a thinly veiled invitation. Seriously, what to reply?

Hearing his message alert go off, he realized he’d taken too long to formulate a response. The man had sent him another message…

“Don’t get your panties in a wad. I meant that in the nicest and most respectful way.”

Yeah, he had that coming. Based on his experiences with Cas so far… Dean probably felt like he was walking on egg shells as he tried to talk to Cas and not be met with condescending anger.

Rather than try to find the words to explain that he really wasn’t as uptight as he’d previously presented himself, Cas opted to show the man his fun side. He smiled as he tapped out what he thought was a clever response…

“I’m not wearing panties Dean.” Then he waited with eyes glued to the screen for Dean’s response.

“Well then, b or b?”

“B or b?” he replied, uncertain what it meant.

“Dude. Boxers or briefs?” Cas chuckled as he read it.

“Neither.”

“Commando? Now you’re just teasing me,” responded Dean.

“I wouldn’t tease you,” he shot back, “I’m just giving you the BARE facts.” Cas was practically giggling now as he waited for Dean to reply.

“Come over.” Oh, it appeared that fun and flirty was over. Dean wasn’t wasting any time. Cas was prickling with excitement from head to toe as he contemplated what he might get up to with Dean if they got together tonight. He’d barely been allowed time to even contemplate the invitation, let alone think of a clever way to respond. Only a few seconds had passed when another message came in on the heels of the last.

“Come over. _Please_.”   

“I can’t tonight,” he answered as he remembered that he already had plans for the evening.

“Why not?”

“I’m tied up right now,” responded Cas, hoping his choice of words would inspire sexy images in Dean’s mind, “and I have volleyball tonight. We usually go out for drinks after.”

“Volleyball?”

“At the rec center.”

“You gonna wear shorts?”

“Of course.”

“Gonna keep freeballin?”

“Fuck No.” he texted back with a laugh.

“Well then,” Dean pressed, “before you put anything on… maybe send me a pic?”

“A pic?”

“Dick pic, Cas.”

Initially he laughed. He’d never sent a dirty picture before. Then, inspiration struck as he watched Mable and her new friend trot by. “You ready?” he baited Dean.

“Been ready since I first saw you. Send it.”

“Ask me nicer,” Cas teased as he called his furry friend over.

“Please?”

“Please what?” toyed Cas.

“Don’t be a tease Cas. I’m dying to see it.”

Cas was practically doubled over laughing as he knelt down to scratch Mable and her new friend behind the ears. It took almost no effort to get both dogs rolling over in the hopes of belly rubs. He had to be quick taking the picture he wanted, lest anyone think him a pervert for snapping photos of a dogs junk.

“Thank you, mystery dog,” said Cas as he snapped a clear picture of dog dick and then scratched the dog's belly for a quick second before getting back to his feet. As the canines scampered off, he sat back down on the bench and responded to Dean’s request for a dick pic.

“Like what you see?” Cas texted, quickly attaching a clear picture of a dogs package.

A minute passed. Then two. About the time Cas was wondering if his witty response had actually been a stupid one, his alert sounded. He quickly turned his phone over to see Dean’s response.

“Damn Cas, run a razor over that shit.”

He laughed out loud as he read it and found himself buoyant as he called for Mable, clipped the leash back on his pup and exited the dog park. All night long Cas found himself remembering their exchange and laughing to himself. He was riding a full body high, excited about how things had turned around with him and Dean. After volleyball, he hit the bar with his friends and had a few drinks. Victor hadn’t joined them this week, gone off to some conference, and it gave Cas and Cole a chance to really talk rather than just laugh and joke around.

The rest of the group only stayed for two rounds. But, deep in conversation, he and Cole lingered for quite a while. As the hour grew later, Cole’s attention landed on a sexy woman who bought him a beer. Once his friend’s attention was elsewhere, Cas said his goodnights and headed home. It was already later than he was used to being out on a week night.

Back at his apartment, he took a shower and brushed his teeth. But rather than call out to Mable who had fallen asleep on the couch, he shut the door to his room so she couldn’t come in and interrupt him. He could always get up and open the door for her later. After.

Right now? He had some pent up sexual tension to get rid of.

He grabbed lube from the nightstand as he flopped down on the bed. In the lamplight he kicked his sleep pants to the floor and sighed as he curled his long fingers around his chubby shaft. It grew fatter in his hand as he began stroking it. It didn’t take long for an errant thought to slip into his mind.

I should send him a pic.

No, you shouldn’t, reprimanded his brain. Nothing good can come from sending out a real dick pic.

I want do it, he thought firmly.

No. Don’t do it, warned his brain. It’s too risky.

Don’t care, he thought. Even the idea of taking a naughty picture set his heart to thundering behind his ribcage and the cock in his palm was heavy and hot, clearly on board with being photographed. Riding a lustful high, he reached for his phone and positioned it carefully. Poised to take his first ever pornographic photo, he jacked himself languidly a few times to make sure his shaft was both tall and proud. Then, he focused his attention on actually snapping the pictures. It wasn’t easy to do with one hand… especially not when he was breathing so heavily. He wished there was someone here to hold the camera for him.

As soon as he thought it, his mind plunged into a fantasy of Dean being here and taking dirty pictures of him. His hand clamped down hard on his fat dick as the lurid fantasy came to life behind his closed eyes. Cas dropped the camera to the bed and surrendered to his hand for a few pulls as he imagined the sound of Dean’s voice telling him what to do while he stood by stroking himself and snapping picture after picture.

“That’s it Cas,” encouraged Fantasy-Dean, “stroke it slower, roll your hips.”

In his head it was bawdy. It was crude. “Turn over Cas, spread your cheeks, let me _see_ it.” Cas’ dick grew even harder as he reveled in the lude and obscene things being demanding of him. “C’mon Cas,” husked Fantasy-Dean, in a perfect recreation of Real-lifeDean’s confident voice, “I’m gonna spank that naughty ass if you don’t do what I tell you, now push a finger in for me. That’s right, fuck yourself with it,” encouraged his fantasy man as he clicked away pictures of Cas doing all sorts of unseemly things…

His dick pulsed under his hand and he suddenly realized how close he was to climaxing. No way can I cum yet, he thought, I’m stopping now and sending this picture before I lose my nerve. His buttocks dropped back to the mattress as he relaxed and tried to catch his breath. He could feel the fever cooling from his skin and when he was under control, he rolled to the side and picked up his phone. His inner porn star smiled lasciviously as he flicked through the images. Surprisingly, some were pretty good. “You still up?” he typed, and then sent the message to Dean.

It took a few minutes but eventually he got a reply. “Yeah, you wanna come over?”

“Not coming over tonight,” he replied, “I’m a little busy, as you can see.” With that he attached the best picture he’d taken. In it, the pink tip was just peeking out from behind his thumb and the hand that was wrapped tightly around his shaft was as shiny as his dick was… both covered in lube. His thighs were showing in the background, tensed, and it was easy to see in the photo that he’d been gifted with a very nice package. Before he had a chance to lose his nerve, he hit send.

“Damn Cas,” responded Dean, “I can’t wait to get my mouth on you.”

“Will you take a picture of me Dean?”

“Fuck yeah,” came the immediate answer, “What else do ya wanna do?”

“I don’t know. Give me some choices?” responded Cas tentatively.

“I’ll do whatever you want Cas. I’m a bad boy. You have any fantasies?”

“Some,” he admitted cautiously.

“Well, don’t leave me hangin man, tell.”

“I like to be spanked.”

“I could tell that right away. You probably like to be bossed around too, don'tcha? Have somebody tell you how you’re a good boy when you what your told?”

 _How did he know this stuff?_ “Yes Dean,” he admitted as he resumed stroking his dick, “What do you like?”

“I like dirty talk. I like to be begged. And I like hearing my name moaned and screamed.”

“I like it rough Dean,” added Cas, feeling free for some reason, feeling like he could say anything and Dean would love it.

“Me too Cas. I like to give spankings and bet you look fucking hot with pink cheeks.”

“Dean. I wish I had come to see you.”

“Me too. But soon, right? Did you get off?”

“Not yet.”

“Call me.”

Cas’ breath caught. He looked at his phone, hovered his finger over the little green icon.

“Cas. Call me.”

He swallowed hard, then put the call through.

“Cas.”

“Hello Dean.”

“S’good to hear your voice.”

“You too Dean.”

“Am I on speaker?”

“You are now,” answered Cas as he set the phone out of his way and laid back down.

“Are you on your bed?”

“Yes.”

“Wanna do what I tell you?”

“Yes.”

It didn’t take long for Dean to pull him to the brink, husky voice telling him all the nasty things Dean wanted to do him and barking out commands of raunchy things for Cas to do to himself. When he shot his load, he saw fierce green eyes behind his eyelids as he pulsed out over the back of his hand.

“Did you get there Dean?” he asked when the line had gone quiet for a while.

“Uggh,” was all he heard through the phone line.

“Dean,” said Cas firmly, confident in his post orgasm bliss, “Say my name when you cum.”

Cas smiled a few seconds later when he heard his name. Not whispered or spoken but _garbled_. Then the line disconnected.

Cas was sated, warm and hovering on the edge of sleep when his phone alert went off twice in quick succession. He fumbled for it and swiped his thumb over the screen to display the message. It was a picture from Dean, but it wasn’t a raunchy dick pic. The image on his screen was a selfie, obviously taken from Dean’s bed. His head was resting on a pillow and his face was warm and smiling. Handsome. Enchanting. The next message said, “Good night Cas.”

 

Cas wound up being cancelled in the morning. The PE coach who had called out for two days had decided to go to work today after all. The phone call had woken him up, and Mable too. She was barking now on the other side of Cas’ bedroom door. He’d never remembered to get up and let her in last night, having dropped into a deep and dreamless sleep a few minutes after he came.

Now, as he opened the door and took in the confused fur ball at his feet, he felt bad. “I’m sorry sweetie,” he said to her in his sickeningly sweet baby talk voice, “But it had to be done. Daddy needed that.”

She kept her eyes trained on him as he turned and headed to the bathroom. As he pissed and washed his hands, he continued to talk to her.

“Don’t worry girl, I’m going to make it up to you. I have the day off and I’m going to start it with bacon. You want some bacon?” he asked her as he moved to the kitchen and started pulling out pans.

He threw together pancakes too, then settled on the couch to eat instead of at the table. He was going to treat this as a vacation day. The shared breakfast from Cas’ plate and then snuggled up together and watched TV for a bit; until the afternoon programming on television became unbearable. He took a long shower and then grabbed the leash to take his girl for a walk.

It was chilly today and he’d needed a sweatshirt. All traces of summer were gone now and the leaves were starting to change color. It was as they walked that Cas got another phone call. There was a long term position for him. One of the Home Ec teachers was due to start her maternity leave tomorrow. Now, the sub that had been lined up to take her place was unable to step up due to a death in the family. The school was now on the phone, offering Cas to take over. He’d be a Home Ec teacher at the high school until almost Christmas. Awesome! No more moving around from school to school for a while. No more little kids. The same classroom every day. The same students every day. He’d get to know them, call them by name. The only way this could be better news was for it to be permanent. Or for it to be English classes instead of Home Ec.

The next morning, he worked through his regular routine. When he’d showered and walked Mable, eaten a healthy breakfast and filled his thermos with coffee, he headed out.

Before heading to his new classroom to get settled, Cas walked back to the auto shop. He lingered on the periphery for a few minutes, watching Dean with the two boys who were here before the start of school. The sounds and smells in this place were similar to any regular garage where he’d taken his car over the years.

Dean and his students were all dressed in blue jumpsuits and Cas watched as they applied tape to the trim work of a car.

“Hey there,” hollered Dean when he noticed Cas watching.

“Hi,” Cas called back as Dean jogged over.

“What’s up?”

“Oh not much. I just found out that I’m replacing Janet Wilson for the next couple months.”

“Did she have her baby?” Dean asked, busying his hands by cleaning up a motor oil mess that someone had left on the counter.

“I don’t think so, not yet, she’s just starting her leave.”

“Oh, well hey, it ain't English or History but at least you’ll be at the same desk every day for a while, huh?”

Cas smiled warmly. Funny how they’d spent so little time together but the man already seemed to know him so well. Dean leaned into Cas’ space purposefully to slide a container of motor oil back into the open case of them at Cas’ elbow. Their faces were already close, but it still surprised him a little when Dean leaned in and put a quick peck on his cheek. The man lingered there for split second too… smelling like solvent and oil. Cas breathed him in and found his breath a bit unsteady as Dean’s warm hand ghosted over his cheek as he pulled away.

“I better get back,” Dean told him, looking over his shoulder, “We gotta get that car into the booth this mornin and we’re runnin out of time.”

“Bye,” said Cas as he turned to go.

“See ya,” Dean winked as they parted.

Cas was all smiles, all morning long. The most challenging thing about the classes he was now teaching was trying to get the kids to actually take it seriously. Yeah, these were easy classes. But financial things like balancing a checkbook, creating a budget and using credit wisely were important basics that these kids would need in life. Health and nutrition, learning to shop and cook... these basic skills were not being taught at home anymore. Parents were too busy trying to keep up the payments on their McMansions and SUV’s to actually teach their kids anything. Cas knew he wouldn’t be useless here just because this wasn’t a core subject. He’d be taking Jody’s advice and looking for the “little teachable moments” that came his way, sure to make the most of them.

The most fun part of the day? Watching thirteen girls bake and frost cupcakes fourth hour. The mess was incredible but how often do you get to walk around and taste all different flavors of cupcakes as part of your job? He chuckled to himself as he realized he was literally being paid to eat sweets.

Several of the girls had brought in decorations from home and everywhere he looked Cas saw nothing but colorful frosting and sprinkles. He asked the kids to each pick two of their cupcakes to add to a huge platter he’d pulled from the cupboard. Then, when the bell rang, the students dispersed. He tucked his empty thermos under his arm and hoisted the platter of confections up as if he were a waiter. He carried it carefully to the teacher’s lounge, smiling as he set it on the table. Jo and Becky, the two blonds in the group he’d been calling “the vixens,” surprised him by taking one. “These look amazing,” grinned Becky enthusiastically as she pulled a pink frosted chocolate cupcake from the tray, “Who brought them?”

“I don’t know,” said Jo, “But they’re just what I needed. Don’t judge me,” she said jokingly as she pulled two from the tray.

“No judgement here,” laughed Becky as she licked the frosting from the top of hers.

They were just falling into conversation when Pam and Lisa pushed through the door. Cas busied himself with rinsing his thermos as they dug into the platter on the table behind him.

“Yum yum,” came Pam’s throaty voice, “Who brought these in?”

“We don’t know,” answered Jo as the brunettes took their seats at the usual table.

“Actually, my cooking class made those,” said Cas politely as he turned to face them and leaned back on the counter, “I thought it would be nice to share.”

Three of four ladies smiled and thanked him. Not Lisa. She looked him up and down as if he were a waiter and she needed a drink.

“Is that what I think it is?” she asked him with a snarky tone.

“What?” he asked.

“It’s not,” said Pam with her mouthful of cupcake, “It’s cake batter.”

“What?” asked Cas again.

“Cake batter my ass,” said Jo standing and walking closer.

“Let me see,” said Becky jumping up from the table and falling in behind Jo.

Cas’ jaw dropped as Jo and Becky both reached for him. He was still as a stone, slow to catch up on what they were talking about.

“It’s oil,” said Jo firmly, releasing her fingers from Cas’ collar as she turned away from him and back toward her group, “motor oil.”

“I can’t believe it!” said Becky, jaw dropping, “I... never…”

“Believe it,” said Lisa coldly, “This isn’t the first time.”

Cas reached for his collar, unable to see it but knowing now that Dean had sullied him again. It may have been an accident. It may have been very purposeful. But when had he? Oh yeah, Dean had run a hand over him when he’d been in the shop this morning. Dammit! He needed to be more careful.

“Come on,” said Jo with an exaggerated eye roll, “Come sit with us. You may as well. You’re one of us now.”

“No he’s not,” said Becky sharply, “He’s not one of us until he’s been spurned.

“Dial it back Becky,” said Lisa with a slump of her shoulders, “It’ll happen sooner or later. We all know it.”

Cas felt stunned. He looked back and forth between their pitying faces and then slowly came to understand. His knees didn’t feel quite as stable as they had a minute ago and he pulled out a chair tosat down.

“I take it he does this a lot?” Cas asked timidly.

“It’s the Winchester way,” nodded Lisa.

“Mhmm” came the consensus from the other three.

The news hit Cas hard. Although he wasn’t sure why. He’d known from the beginning that Dean was a player, hadn’t he? The man had certainly never promised him anything. Actually, as he mulled it over, he had to admit that Dean had been unabashedly sexual with him from the start. Even when they hadn’t hit it off… the man had still come back like a stray dog and offered sex. As if Dean’s own behavior hadn’t been telling enough, Ellen had drawn his attention to Dean’s ways at the Roadhouse.

“Oh sweetie,” said Becky, placing a consoling hand on his shoulder, “Don’t feel bad. It’s not your fault. It’s just the way he is.”

“No, its fine,” Cas said quietly, not looking up at any of them, “It’s good that I know now. Before I let it go too far and wind up being used.”

“It ain't getting used,” said Pam firmly from across the table, “if you want it too.”

Of these four ladies, it was really only Pam that he felt a connection to. She may be one of the vixens, but she was a kind hearted person and he considered her a friend. Hearing her voice brought his eyes back up and he focused on her.

“You know what I think, Cas?” Pam pressed.

He let her see the question in his eyes rather than try to force words out. He was so utterly disappointed right now that he was finding it hard to keep up social pretenses. He wanted to be alone. But when his eyes met hers, she was smiling at him. A big healthy smile.

“I think you should go for it,” she told him sagely. “It’s just like you’re imagining it will be… in fact, it’s better.”

“Totally worth it,” nodded Becky and Jo in unison.

“Go do it!” Pam said, louder now and in good humor, “Go get some! And don’t come back here til you do. You have to earn your place at this table.”

Unsure of how to feel, Cas got up from the table and moved back to the counter to pour the coffee he’d made into his thermos. By the time he walked out, the girls were laughing and giggling at other things and paying him no attention. He walked slowly back to his room, dazed and sad.

As the afternoon wore on, he found himself surprisingly okay. He’d known already. On some level he’d known. Now it was just harsher because it had been pointed out by someone else. Dean was going to fuck him. Then fuck him over. A few days maybe? A few weeks? Eventually he’d be one of the many conquests of Dean Winchester and he’d have to sit back with the vixens and watch as Dean moved on to fresher meat.

It wasn’t so bad, he thought. He’d wanted the man from the moment he’d first set eyes on him. And, he’d been a wonderful distraction from Cas’ breakup heartache. Knowing that his tryst with Dean would come with a ticking clock didn’t change how much he wanted what he could get. And Pam was right. It wasn’t being used if he wanted it too.

Pulling his chin up and forcing himself to walk tall, he moved across the room and took one of the last cupcakes from the counter. He couldn’t remember the name of the girl who had made them, but hers had been his favorite. She’d decorated them in the theme of Alice in Wonderland. Most were either white with black icing piped in the shapes of spades and clubs or with red icing in the shape of hearts and diamonds. She’d made just a few in pink and purple that said “Eat Me” on them. There was just one left and he smiled as he took it walked out of the room.

If you’re Dean Winchester, you’ve probably never read Alice in Wonderland. You’ve likely not seen the movies either… old or new. Cas was practically grinning as he headed for the auto shop. Dean would see the cupcake. He would know it had come from Cas. And when Dean read the words “Eat Me.” His mind would go straight to the gutter.

Cas felt frisky as he snuck into the shop and set the cupcake in the center of Dean’s desk. He didn’t even catch a glimpse of Dean; the only voices in the shop were coming from around the corner, out of sight. As he walked back to his own room, he had to lock down giggles. This was going to be fun. How long did have? Who knows! But it was going to be fun!

.


	5. The Game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Ravenwolf36 for... well, you know!

 

Cas spent the rest of the afternoon wondering when he’d hear from Dean. He was on edge and watching his phone closely as he finished his last class of the day and then turned his attention towards cleaning up.

He was finishing up the dishes when he heard a throat clearing over the white noise of the faucet running and the clatter of dishes in the sink. He didn’t need to turn around to know it was Dean behind him. He could _feel_ it. The back of his neck prickled and his heart beat became noticeable to him. He didn’t turn, simply kept washing dishes. If Dean is a player, then this was a game. And he wasn’t going down on the first level. Castiel forced himself to play it cool. And playing it cool was lots easier when he wasn’t trying to look directly at a green-eyed siren.

“Hello Dean,” he said blandly.

“Hey Cas.” It sounded like Dean was at least four feet away… perhaps leaning on the opposite counter. “I found something sweet on my desk today, you wouldn’t know anything about that, wouldja?”

“I passed out a lot of treats today, Mr. Winchester,” said Cas working hard to keep his tone even.

“Did anyone else get a cupcake that said ‘eat me’?”

The sound of Dean’s voice gave away his position… so much closer than he’d been a moment ago. Cas’ mouth dropped open and a shiver snaked up his spine at the proximity. He worked hard to keep the shakiness from his voice and replied, “Well, did you? Eat it?”

“Sure did, Cas,” husked Dean, breath ghosting over the back of his neck. “You should know, I licked the frosting off before I bit into it.”

Cas felt a tug near his waist. Sweet Lord, the man was undoing his apron. From the back. Cas braced himself against a tiny tug as he felt the knot pull loose.

“You’re going to need to retie that, Mr. Winchester, I still have some cleaning to do,” chastised Cas in his best teacher voice.

“And I bet…” retorted Dean, “you can’t take any chances of getting dirty dish water on that adorable fucking sweater, right?”

“This coming from a man who wears an entire jumpsuit to protect a dirty t-shirt and ripped jeans?” teased Cas.

“Look at you,” countered Dean, huffing a laugh as he leaned in over Cas’ shoulder, “swapping insults like a school boy. Is it hard to pull off ‘cocky’ when you’re wearing an apron?”

Cas smiled widely as he felt Dean’s hands slide around his hips and reminded himself to keep his mind on their banter and not melt at the touch. “You play dirty, Winchester,” said Cas, dipping into the dishwater and fishing around for something he could use. His searching hands bumbled into a measuring cup and his fingers coiled around it as he said, “I think someone needs to be cleaned up.”

Dean stepped back quickly, sensing what was coming. But Cas was just a beat faster. He turned quickly, grinning like a fool, and used the measuring cup to splatter Dean’s front with warm sudsy water. As Dean took a step back, Cas took one forward and claimed the upper hand… if only for a moment.

Both men immediately burst into laughter. Dean paused his retreat and reached for Cas’ apron. It was still looped around his neck and the action pulled him closer to Dean as the man wiped his face on it. “Ya got me,” he conceded, “I’m dirty… and now wet. You gonna clean me up?”

“Oh Dean, it’s going to take more than my little sponge to clean up a dirty man like you.” Cas hoped that something would happen soon. He was losing faith in his ability to continue coming up with innuendo laced banter.

“Well then,” said the man as he stepped up to Cas, nose-to-nose, “I guess you’ll have to give me a sponge bath.”

“Or turn the hose on you…”Cas threw back with a smirk.

Just when Dean was leaning in, most likely for a kiss, there was a loud clunking from the doorway. Both turned in time to see a custodian coming through the door with a large trash barrel on wheels. He rolled it into the room without looking at them and proceeded to start emptying the multiple trash cans that were spaced around the room. He was wearing earbuds and wasn’t paying them any attention. But even still, Dean straightened up and ran fingers through his closely cropped hair.

“How long til you’re ready to head out?”

“Um,” stalled Cas as he looked around the room and assessed how much work he had left, “maybe fifteen minutes?”

“Wanna get a drink?”

Dean was asking him out again. In fact, he used the exact same words this time as he did last time... the night they’d gone to Harvelle’s. As Dean waited for his answer a smile twitched at the corner of his lips.

“Sure,” said Cas as he turned back to the sink, “should I come to the shop when I’m finished here?”

“Yeah, see you then,” he said. Cas was no longer looking at Dean but he could hear more distance between them when the man spoke. His body protested the increased distance by sending a feeling of cold over him. Pushing his hands back into the dishwater chased the chill away and he moved a bit faster now, in a hurry to leave with Dean.

By the time he’d finished his menial tasks, the janitor had begun mopping. Cas gestured farewell to the man as he stepped carefully over the newly mopped floor and out into the hall.

Dean was sitting at his desk when Cas came in. At first, Cas thought he was working. But as he drew nearer he realized that Dean was just playing Solitaire.

“Been waiting long?” he asked as he stepped up to the desk and casually perched a single cheek on it.

“Nope. You ready?”

“I think so,” he said as he watched Dean shut down his computer, “Did you get that car painted today? The one you were working on before school?”

“Sure did! Wanna see?”

“Yes.”

“Over here,” he gestured, moving away from the desk and around the corner. “It’s a ’74 Ford Maverick,” Dean informed him as they stepped up to the car.

“It looks good,” said Cas, “was it… I thought I remember it being purple this morning?”

“Well,” said Dean as he walked around the car appraisingly, “It was red underneath, and it had been painted brown at some point. The paint was oxidizing so it kind of had a weird purple tone to it.”

“Yes,” Cas agreed, “This is much improved.”

“It was a lot of work,” Dean laughed, “but the kid really knew how to pick a project. I doubt I would’ve put in this much work into an ’88 Celebrity.”

Cas had no idea how to follow Dean’s analogy and it must’ve showed on his face.

“Well, anyway,” huffed Dean, “Let’s go get some beers, huh?”

“Yes. Should I follow you?”

“If you want. Or we can go together, you can drive if you want,” said Dean as he pulled his keys from a hook near the exit doors.

“You go ahead,” replied Cas as he turned to follow Dean out the door, “I’d love to have another ride in your baby.”

Dean turned backwards as Cas said it, using his backside to push the door open. He was twirling his keychain on one finger and giving Cas a stomach spinning smirk as he did it.

“Where to?” Dean asked him as he unlocked the passenger door for Cas.

“You’re driving,” said Cas amiably, “You choose.”

“I chose last time,” he countered as he leaned in to unlock the door for Cas.

“Alright, then, how about Dempsey’s,” said Cas, referring to the watering hole that he’d become accustomed to patronizing on volleyball nights.

“Umm, I’ve heard of it,” said Dean as he backed out of the space, “But I’ve never been. You’ll have to give me directions.”

“Just take Massachusetts as if you're going to Harvelle’s,” Cas instructed, “it’s a block before the bridge. You can turn on 7th for parking.”

Dean nodded and left his arm resting over the back of the bench seat as they rumbled out of the parking lot, his hand warm behind Cas’ shoulder. As they slowed to a stop for the first traffic light, Cas leaned forward to roll down his window and Dean took the opportunity to tune in the radio.With the Rolling Stones playing Beast of Burden, they both leaned back together and Dean returned his arm to the seatback. 

The air was crisp but the sun was warm and it bathed the colorful autumn leaves in a soft hazy glow.  As the light turned green, Cas snuck a glance at Dean. He was pleasantly surprised to find the man’s bright green eyes resting on him comfortably with a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. It felt like a sweet moment between them and it was over too soon as Dean swiveled his gaze away, returning his attention to the road ahead.

They were headed north through town, digging the ride and enjoying each other’s company. No one had spoken in a while but Dean, whose hand was resting comfortably on the seatback, began rubbing his thumb up and down on Cas’ shoulder blade. The feeling of it induced a fluttering sensation in Cas’ chest that he loved and before long they were arriving at their destination. Dean parked along the curb and locked up as Cas fed he meter. Then, they walked around the corner of the brick building with tall windows. The sign jutting out over the sidewalk declared the place to be “Dempsey’s Burger Pub.”

As they walked towards the entrance, Dean tipped his head towards Cas conspiratorially and said, “I didn’t know that this was a burger place.”

“Yeah, it’s supposed to be the best in the city,” Cas replied, “but it’s got nothing on Harvelle’s.”

Dean sent Cas an appreciative smile at the sentiment as they turned to enter.

“It’s just got more choices,” clarified Cas as he swung the door open.

“Smells freakin' awesome,” moaned Dean, inhaling deeply.

“They have over a hundred beers here,” Cas added as they slid into a table near the back.

They barely waited a full minute to be served; the place was slow since it wasn’t even five o’clock yet.

“Afternoon guys,” smiled a bouncy waitress, “Can I start you off with a beer?”

“What do you recommend?” Dean asked her, clearly overwhelmed by too many choices.

“We’ve got a fall blend that everyone loves… try that?”

“Sure,” he said with a nod and turning his attention to Cas.

“I’ll have a Thunderstuck IPA,” said Cas, as he handed Dean a menu. The waitress nodded and left. Dean let out a low whistle as he looked over the menu.

“What are you havin', Cas?”

“Mmm, maybe the bacon mushroom and Swiss?”

“That sounds good,” he said as he licked his lips, “But so does the smoked stack burger.”

“I had that once. It’s incredible.”

It didn’t take long for their peppy server to return. She set their drinks down and took their order. By the time they got their food, the place was filling up.

They didn’t say much as they tucked in their food. Cas had been prepared to tolerate Dean’s awful manners, but they weren’t so bad this time. He didn’t talk with his mouth full, but that may have simply been because they weren’t really talking. He did, however, use his napkin this time rather than the back of his hand to wipe his mouth.

Cas smiled when Dean leaned back in his seat and rested his hands on his belly. “That was so good,” said with a satisfied smile.

When they were finished eating, they ordered another round and moved to the pool tables, wanting to start a game before all the tables were taken. Dean was trying the Thunderstuck IPA and Cas had moved on to Rosemary’s Baby. It was a good after dinner beer, he thought. He could taste a bit of fall pumpkin flavor in it as well as a hint of buttery rum.

They talked as they played, Cas loosing badly and Dean loving it. Having learned his lesson on their first date, this time Cas made an effort to open up a little and tell Dean about himself. As the night wore on, and his buzz intensified, he found himself telling funny stories about his brothers and their antics growing up. Dean exchanged a few happy stories about his own brother too. Clearly the happier days had been when Sammy had lived at home. Dean obviously carried some resentment that his brother had chosen to not only attend school so far away, but to stay gone after he’d finished. It was a sore subject and Cas tried not to dwell on it.

At some point, the rest of the patrons just fell away. For Cas it was as if only he and Dean were in this bar despite the chaos of the crowd around him. Due to his tunnel vision, he was startled when a hand dropped on his shoulder. Turning towards the owner of the hand, Cas was surprised to see Cole.

“Didn’t expect to see you here on a Monday night!” the man said with a wide smile.

“Hello Cole,” said Cas reaching out to accept the one-armed bro hug that Cole was extending, “I wasn’t expecting to see you either.”

“This,” said Cole, gesturing to the lady at his side, “is Audrey.”

“Of course,” replied Cas politely as he smiled and took her hand, “I remember you from the other night… how have you been?”

“Very well, thank you,” she answered. She looked different now, then she had when Cas had met her. Of course he’d been buzzing pretty hard that night and the moment that Cole had started flirting with her Cas had left. But he turned now to introduce Dean.

“Cole, Aubrey, this is my friend Dean Winchester, he works with me at the High School.”

“Nice to meet you,” said Cole with firm handshake. The four of them chatted for a while and eventually cleared the balls to start a new game, this time playing as doubles. Cas felt bad for Dean, knowing that he didn’t bring much skill to the table. But, they still won because he had more skill than Audrey. Dean seemed to be having a good time and since they’d long ago lost their table, they simply ordered another round and continued to play pool. It was quite late when they finally parted from Cole and his new girl. Both Dean and Cas hit the men’s room and then headed for the Impala.

“That was fun, Cas,” smiled Dean as they stepped out into the cool night air, “We’ll have to do it again sometime.”

Cas warmed at hearing Dean say that he wanted to see him again. They headed down the block, elbows occasionally brushing as they walked.

“You go to the games?” Dean asked him.

“Games?”

“Yeah Cas, the football games… at the school. Ya know, cheer for the kids.”

“I haven’t been to one yet.”

“Y’should come with me on Friday. We usually go to the Roadhouse after.”

“Okay,” he agreed. They walked quietly after that. Dean unlocked the door and then walked around to the driver’s side. It was very comfortable now, to sit down and feel Dean’s hand come to rest behind his shoulder. This late, it was too cold for windows to be down. In fact, Dean had turned on the heat for them. Smoke on the Water was playing as they pulled away from the curb and out into the street. The ride home was quiet with the exception of the radio and Cas found himself a little sad to reach their destination. Dean pulled up next to Cas’ sleek black Buick and put the car in park.

Before Cas could even turn to get out, Dean clamped a hand down on his shoulder. Suddenly the fluttering feeling was back as Cas turned his head slowly to look over at his companion. When their eyes met, Cas felt a sharp crackle of electricity between them. In just the muted glow from the stereo, Cas could see the perfectly chiseled lines of Dean’s face and his plump lips parting as the man drew nearer.

Cas leaned in, wanting it. At first there was just a soft and gentle touch of warm, moist lips. But then, Cas inhaled and caught the scent of Dean’s skin under the lingering scents of smoky bar and motor oil. He was consumed with lust and broke their kiss for a chance to inhale sharply; immediately plunging back in with urgency. Dean groaned into the kiss as they both pushed themselves forward to get closer.

Dean’s hand found Cas’ leg and began sliding up just as Cas’ hand left Dean’s shoulder and began moving down. The feeling of Dean’s hand encroaching on his dick sent Cas’ head spinning. Rough denim passed beneath his fingers as he took Dean into his hand, cupping his package. He felt a wave of excitement roll over him and both of them were making inarticulate noises as they began to grow more purposeful in their movements. The cock under his hand was growing stiff. He knew that his was too… he could feel the tightness in his pants.

In the back of his mind, a little voice called out to him, “This is level one Cas.” It grounded him… gave him the strength to pull away from the entrapping kisses and inviting warmth that had grown between them.

“I should – get going,” mumbled Cas, working to extricate himself from Dean’s grasp.

“Don’t go,” said Dean softly, almost pleading.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he moved backward towards his door, “It’s late for me. I… I’ve left my dog alone for so long. I have class tomorrow. I need to go.”

Dean’s hand fell to the upholstery with a thump as Cas slid out of his grasp. When he was out of the car, the cool breeze hitting his face helped pull him from his complacency and strengthened his resolve. He took a step away and towards his own car. It sensed the key fob in his back pocket and popped the locks for him, dome light cutting through the dark of the parking lot.

Dean had, again, gotten out of his car and walked to Cas… just like he’d done the first time they’d gone out… when he’d offered to just help Cas get off. He couldn’t help but smile at the memory as he heard the man’s footsteps drawing closer. He said thank you to Dean without facing him, busying himself with opening the door.

“I had a good time,” said Dean to Cas’ back. Then fingers curled into Cas’ back belt loop and pulled gently, bringing him back away from the door and turning him.

“Me too,” he whispered as he was spun around to face Dean and pressed up against his car. They kissed deeply again, Dean dominating him completely and pressing their bodies together.

“Don’t go,” said Dean softly as he kissed Cas’ neck seductively, “Come home with me,” he whispered.

“I can’t,” Cas whispered back, “My dog…”

“Then _take me_ home,” Dean protested as Cas tried again to pull away.

“Sorry Dean. Not tonight.”

“M’kay,” he relented, dropping his forehead to Cas’ shoulder. “M’sorry, I just… I really want you.”

“I want you too Dean,” admitted Cas. “But it’s not going to happen tonight.”

“Okay Cas,” he agreed, “I’m glad ya came out with me, see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight Dean,” he said, watching the man turn back to his vehicle. It was so hard to follow Dean out of the lot and turn left when he turned right. So hard. But this was the game… and he smiled in the glow of his instrument panel as he drove. Because, yeah, level one goes to Cas.

When he got home, Mable was thrilled to see him. So odd, he thought. She should be angry. She’s been holding it for hours and hours and hours. If she were human she’d be yelling at Cas and telling him how thoughtless he’d been to have left her alone and untended like that. But no. She was just glad he was finally home. He did nothing else first. He just took her immediately outside to relieve herself and praised her for being such a wonderful pet. Then he made a mental note to make some arrangements for her. His days of passing hours reading books and watching television were over. He was working now and he had friends and things he was busy doing and she couldn’t just be left alone all the time.

He played fetch with her in the dark on the lawn of his complex for a while and then took her for a walk around the block. They cuddled in bed together after, watching old sitcoms as they fell asleep.

The next day, Cas set about finding some kind of service for his dog. He visited the webpages of several doggie daycare services in the area but it was meeting Charlie Bradbury that sold him on her dog walking service. She’d agreed to meet him at the dog park right after school. Dean had all but begged him to go out again, but he’d declined saying he had plans. Dean didn’t need to know that his plans weren’t exciting plans. Let the man wonder about him. Let him spend an evening wishing Cas was around instead of actually having him around. It would only make Dean want him more.

Charlie was already inside the fence at the dog park when they arrived. She was every bit as adorable in person as she’d been over the phone.

“Meet my peeps,” she’d said to him, introducing him to her own dogs, “This guy is Wicket.”

“Aw, you’re a cutie, aren’t you?” said Cas, bending to one knee to greet the pup properly, “And who is this adorable puff ball?”

“This is my snow beast. I call him Bumble.”

Cas looked over her two pups. One was a small brown corgi and the other was a huge muff of a dog. “What kind of dog is Bumble?”

“I’m not sure, actually,” she said, scratching her finger on her nose, “he looks like some kind of chow mix, but they couldn’t tell me for sure at the shelter.”

“They’re cute, and very well behaved,” he complimented her.

“So is yours,” she smiled, “This is Mable, right?”

“Yes,” he said turning to his pooch, “Mable shake with Charlie, Shake Mable, Shake.”

Cas watched as Charlie got a paw shake from his girl. Her wide saucer eyes were deep brown and beautiful and she was clearly intrigued to meet this long haired lady who was lavishing attention on her.

“I can add her if you like,” said Charlie, settling down on the ground to play with all three dogs, “I have to come around 2pm each day, though, because of your location. Plus, I’m a student so my schedule will probably change each semester and I may have to switch things up. Will that work for you?”

“It’s perfect. I’m usually home from work by four but I have things going on several nights a week and I don’t want her getting too bored without me.”

“Oh definitely not,” she agreed, “That’s what gets a dog chewing on stuff.”

Cas watched her as she rolled about with the dogs. “So what do you do when you’re not teaching?” she asked him.

“I have a volleyball league and a book club, a few other things. And, I’ve recently started seeing someone.” Why did it feel so good to say that?

“Oh wow, congrats,” she winked. It reminded him of Dean. “Who’s the lucky girl or guy?”

“His name’s Dean.  He teaches with me at the school.”

“Not Dean Winchester?”

“You know him?”

“Who doesn’t?” she laughed.

Cas was stunned into silence. Had this incredibly adorable (and incredibly young) girl slept with Dean?

“I just graduated last year,” she said, “I had him for a class called car care basics. Figured I’d better take that one, considering my ride.” She was laughing out loud as she gestured to the bright yellow Gremlin in the lot that he hadn’t known was hers until she’d pointed it out.

“Car care basics?”

“Yeah, it’s a nice easy class for people who don’t know anything about cars. It kind of breaks down the different systems and how they work. You learn how to do the simple stuff too… like change a tire, change your oil, drain your radiator… stuff like that. He made it fun.”

“Well, I’ll pass along a hello to him.”

“Awesome!”

They tossed balls for the dogs for a half hour more before parting company. She’d be starting with Mable tomorrow so from now on, Cas wouldn’t have to feel guilty if he stayed out late or was gone for too long. She’d now be getting an hour of fresh air and exuberant company each day while Cas was gone.

After the dog park he dropped off Mable and headed over to book club, stopping for groceries on his way home. He threw together an easy dinner and was just settling down in front of the television with a hot plate when his phone pinged. He checked it and found a message from Dean.

“Thinking of you,” it said. The attached picture was jarring. He looked at it for several seconds as his eyes sorted out what he was seeing. Finally, he was able to grasp what he was viewing and from what angle.

The phone had been held between Dean’s spread legs and was pointed back up towards his head, though his head wasn’t visible in the picture. The obscene spread of his legs was titillating enough. But the blurry image of a fist wrapped around a huge cock was easy enough to make out. His mouth went dry as he realized it was a video. He touched the little square to bring it to full screen and hit the play button. Holy fuck.

Dean’s panting breaths could be heard in the background as the man’s lube-slicked hand slid down his cock and back up. Once. Twice. Three times. Then the picture stilled.

Cas swallowed the lump in his throat, set his plate aside and hit play again. It was only a few seconds long and he must’ve watched the video at least ten times before he shoved his plate to the floor for Mable and took off towards his bedroom. He slammed the door shut and was kicking off shoes as he headed for the bed.

Cas was out of his pants in two seconds flat and he flung himself unceremoniously onto the bed where he sprawled out and drizzled lube on his junk. He managed to keep his left hand dry enough to hold his phone and watch several more loops of the video as he feverishly worked over his cock. He stroked with no regard for anything but getting his rocks off… fisting tightly and jerking so hard and fast that his arm was sore. He kept at it, closing his eyes to imagine Dean fucking him raw when he could no longer focus on holding up the camera with his free hand.

He saw stars when he came, it was so fast and hard. Then, when he finally came down from his high, he took a nice hot shower. He did remember to open his door this time, so Mable could join him when she was ready to sleep. But he didn’t ever go fix himself any dinner to replace what he’d given the dog. He just flopped down in the bed, exhausted.

Cas was drifting softly on the edge of sleep when he realized he’d never responded back to Dean. He fumbled his phone off the nightstand and used it to send a message. He smiled and lifted his phone over head to snap a selfie adding a text that said, “Good night Dean.”

Wednesday he and Dean had lunch together for the first time. Dean had stopped by his room that morning, lidded ceramic dish in hand, and said…

“Hey man, I um, well I made this last night. Brought the leftovers for lunch. I’ve got a shit ton. You want some?”

“Sure,” Cas had agreed, peering down through the clear lid, “what’s in it?”

“Everything I had in the fridge,” laughed Dean, “Potatoes, ham, cheese, peppers, onions…” he paused and Cas looked up. “Fuck man, I forgot you don’t eat onions…”

“It’s okay Dean, I’d love to try your dish.”

Dean had smiled then, whole heartedly. Cas loved it. The feeling of friendship between them at that moment was strong and he found himself wondering if, perhaps, when their short run as lovers had come to an end they might even wind up staying friends. The thought was a happy one.

Dean had handed him the heavy dish saying, “Well I guess I can just leave this here. If you have a chance to throw it in one of these ovens on your free period? It’ll taste a lot better that way than if we microwave it.”

“I can do that,” Cas readily agreed as he accepted the dish from Dean and turned to put it into the fridge. The man had lingered for a moment, almost awkwardly, and then asked a question while Cas’ back was turned.

“We still on for the game Friday?”

“Sure,” said Cas as he closed the refrigerator and returned his attention to Dean.

“Ok, just checkin'. I mean it’s… well… a couple of us always sit together. That cool?”

“Of course,” said Cas.

“Ok, see you then, for lunch,” he’d said as he’d turned for the door.

Cas had spent all morning with a sense of joy. Life was good. He was teaching and enjoying getting to know the students. His personal life was filling up with friends to spend time with. His heartbreak over his ex was behind him. And, the cherry on top, Dean Winchester just cooked for him. Dean could say it was leftovers if that made him feel better. But the casserole dish was full and the top layer was unbroken. When Dean came in here for lunch, they’d cut the first pieces from that casserole and put them on plates. Cas would pretend not to notice that it wasn’t leftovers. But it wasn’t. It was food, fresh baked by Dean with Cas in mind. Level two goes to Castiel.

Thursday passed quickly and soon it was Friday. The school was buzzing with energy, as it was every Friday. But today, Cas found himself caught up in the excitement. He ate lunch with Donna again. It had been a while since they’d talked and he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed her enthusiasm and cheesy jokes. When the last bell finally rang, Cas quickly put up his things and headed towards the shop.

“Hey,” said Dean when Cas entered his space, “You finished up already?”

“Yes, but I can wait if you have more to do.”

“I have to clean the paint guns,” he said vaguely, looking around, “and put away some tools.”

“Okay,” he said amiably, pulling out his phone and bringing up an online scrabble game he liked, “I’ll just wait.”

Dean nodded and Cas focused his attention on his game. Dean clanked and clattered around the shop while Cas played. It didn’t feel like too long before Dean was nudging him that they were free to leave.

“Game's at seven. Wanna eat first?”

“Sure, Dean. What do you feel like?”

“Pizza?”

“Okay.”

“You wanna drive?”

“Sure,” said Cas, pocketing his phone and turning back towards the hall. Dean followed him down the vacant corridor and out to the main faculty lot. The car beeped when Cas drew near to it and they walked to either side, both sliding in together.

“Damn, Cas,” grinned Dean, “I feel like I’m in a cockpit.”

“I splurged a little when I bought it,” he said, “The payments are a bitch. More than my rent.”

“I bet,” said Dean, running his hand over the dash. “Let’s hear the system,” he prodded as Cas backed out.

Cas touched a button on the steering wheel and his music from this morning picked up where it had left off.

“What’re we listenin' to?”

“OkGo.”

“I like it. It’s snappy.”

Cas tipped his head in acknowledgement as he smoothly maneuvered the sedan out onto the city street. He really appreciated the way Dean was making an effort to be more courteous to him since their first date. But he couldn’t think of a way to tell him that wouldn’t sound condescending. So, rather, he just kept it to himself. They rode in companionable silence for a few blocks and then Cas began to slow as they approached a local pizza place. “This okay?” he asked, “Or did you have something else in mind.”

“I don’t care. Anything’s fine. I didn’t get any lunch today and I’m frickin' starving.”

Cas nodded and they turned in. The lot was mostly deserted since it wasn’t really the dinner hour yet. They chose a booth near the back and ordered a large pizza with half Dean’s toppings and half Cas’. Then they worked on a pitcher of beer while they waited for their food.

Dean explained the reason he’d been too busy for lunch and talked briefly about the upcoming game and who the football team would be playing tonight. Some of “his boys” were on the team and he told Cas about each of them, what position they played and what kind of projects they were each working on in his classes.

Cas loved watching Dean talk about his students. He was obviously one of those who truly enjoyed being involved in the lives of his students and sought to be of value to them. Unfortunately, the profession was full of people who either didn’t care for children or who had lost their love of children somewhere along the way. Cas hoped he never became one of them.

When their pizza was delivered, it slowed their conversation a bit. By the time they’d finished eating, the sun was getting low in the sky. The dinner rush was in full swing now and the place was noisy as they paid and left.

Cas drove them back down the street to the school where they parked in a full lot. The other team’s busses were lining the main drag and there were students everywhere. They parked and began walking towards the field.

“Mr. Winchester!” someone shouted, “Head’s up!”

Cas looked around and by the time his eyes located the voice engaging them, Dean was already stepping forward. He stretched his arms out in the fading light and intercepted a football that had been tossed to him. Cas watched Dean pull his arm back and execute a perfect spiral back to the boy and his friends who were obviously playing catch in the lot.

“Watch the cars,” he shouted once they’d caught the ball. The boys gave him an affirmative nod and returned to their game. Dean dropped an arm casually around Cas’ shoulders and turned them back toward the football field. Cas loved the way Dean walked with him. It wasn’t overtly sexual; in fact it was more of a friendly gesture than anything else. But it gave Cas the feeling of being a couple and he felt like Dean probably meant for him to feel that way. When they reached the bleachers, Dean’s arm slid down and rested at the small of Cas’ back as he hopped up and began to climb.

“Up top Cas, right by the railing, see Pam?”

Cas turned a bit so Dean could see his nod of acknowledgement over the chaos of the crowd. The cheerleaders were already pumping up the crowd and the band was warming up. When they got closer, Cas could see that Pam was sitting next to Ellen and an older man in a worn flannel and ruddy ball cap. It had to be Bobby Singer. Pam greeted them both warmly and as Cas was introduced to Bobby, the three slid down to make room. Dean sat next to Pam and Cas took the end. The view was good here. The bleachers broke right around the 50 yard line and a new set picked up a few yards over. But from his vantage point at the end, Cas was free to sit or to stand-up and lean on the railing. But either way, he had a fairly unobstructed view to most of the field.

They all chatted lightly while waiting. Mostly the conversation revolved around the players that each of them knew and it seemed as though Pam, Dean and Bobby all had a few kids on the team that they’d be cheering extra loud for.

The first quarter was rough. The Lawrence players, clad in blue, were taking a beating. Dean was on his feet a few times hollering, but all the hopeful moments were met with a sigh as balls were fumbled or turned over. It wasn’t looking good.

Cas left for a few minutes during the second quarter to go grab a jacket from his car and take a leak. When he returned he found out he’d missed the first touchdown. They were still down by an impressive margin at half-time. Dean got up, saying he was getting snacks and asked if Cas wanted anything.

“Something hot to drink, please,” he responded gratefully. It was damn cold sitting this high up. Bobby and Ellen followed Dean down the bleachers, heading for the snack bar with him.

“You’re not going?” Cas asked, looking at Pam.

“Nope. I like to see the marching band. They’re really good. Plus, Lisa said I’m supposed to watch the cheerleaders new routine.”

“Lisa is the cheer coach?” Cas asked her.

“Mhmm,” she answered, her eyes roving the field as the marching band started to move.

“That makes so much sense,” chuckled Cas.

“Aw, c’mon,” said Pam, leaning her shoulder into Cas’ shoulder, “She’s not so bad once you get used to her.”

“She hates me. They all did, the cheerleaders, back in high school and even now.”

“She only hates that you’re with Dean,” Pam said, turning to look at him. “And by the way, look who’s hanging on huh?”

He couldn’t help but grin when she teased him like this.

“I’m not kidding, Cas, you’ve had him chasing his tail for a while now. Going on two weeks… that’s a long time in Dean-years.”

“Well, it’s been fun,” he told her honestly. And it had been fun. Being the focus of Dean’s attention was a feeling like no other.

“I would think so,” she said with raised eyebrows, “You got him taking you out, taking you to the game, and did I hear a little birdie saying that he cooked you lunch?”

“You might’ve heard that,” he said with a smile. “You were right, you know. This has been fun, and even if it’s over tomorrow, I can’t imagine I’ll regret it.”

“What’s to regret, right?” she said, giving his elbow a shove with hers.

“Well, I’m not going to lie. It’s going to be rough when he’s done with me. I’ve never been with a player before.”

“I wouldn’t say he’s a player,” replied Pam, “But I know what you mean.”

“I thought you guys all _told me_ that he was a player?”

“Well,” she said, “I know we implied it wouldn’t last long, because with Dean it usually doesn’t. But I don’t remember using the word player.”

“What word would you use?” he asked her with a laugh.

“I’d say he’s more slut than player.”

“There’s a difference?”

“Sure there is. A player’s in it for the game. They want something and when they’ve gotten it from you, they’ve won. That’s when they move on. Game over. There’s just as many women who are players as men. And they all want something. For some it’s sex. For others it’s the ‘I Love You.’ For some it’s money and gifts… you know the type… they’ll stay with someone and suck ‘em dry. When the person has nothing left to spend and their credit’s all maxed out? Bye-bye. Hell. Some women even just want a baby and a rich baby-daddy to support it.”

“I see what you mean,” said Cas, listening intently while his eyes stayed locked on the marching band like hers were, “And you don’t think Dean is a player?”

“Nope. I don’t think he’s playing a game. I think he’s just a slut. If he goes out with someone he wants to fuck them. He has no ‘three date rule’, if ya know what I mean. He just hops in bed with whoever catches his eye and he’s not sorry for it either. But when he’s with somebody, he never cheats. And some last longer than others. Lisa had a good run. She had him wrapped around her finger for over a month.”

“Is that how you met her?”

“Nope. I met her when we chaperoned a dance together. I liked her before and after she dated him. While they were together… she was insufferable.”

“How long were _you_ with him?”

“A while.”

“Longer than Lisa?”

“What difference would that make? It’s not a contest Cas.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” he said softly, suddenly aware of how childish his questions had been.

“Look, just have fun Cas. Don’t analyze it or try too hard.  Enjoy it. Dean’s a good time and he’s amazing in bed.”

“He ought to be,” laughed Cas, “It sounds like he’s had enough practice!”

The two of them laughed about Dean and then returned their full attention to the half time show. Before too long, Dean and the Singers were back. Cas accepted a warm cup of hot cocoa from Dean and gave the man a smile without even thinking.

The team rebounded a lot in the third quarter. They must’ve had one hell of a pep talk in the locker room. Cas couldn’t help but feel like he’d gotten one too. Pam was right. He needed to let go of the idea that this was a game and just enjoy his time with Dean. However long that might be.

As Lawrence scored their second touchdown of the third quarter, the gap in the score became small enough to imagine victory and the crowd was on its feet. Cas joined, leaning over the rail and shouting loudly.

They didn’t win the game, but they decreased the spread to a respectable margin and were able to at least leave the field with their heads held high. As the crowd worked to clear the bleachers, Cas found himself moving along with Dean and headed back towards the cars. When they got to the edge of the parking lot, Dean looked to him and said, “You still feel like drivin'?”

“Sure,” Cas smiled, “Are we going over to the Roadhouse?”

“Yeah, if that’s okay with you?”

He nodded his agreement and put up his hands in a “see ya later” gesture to the rest of their group as they stepped away. When they climbed back in the Buick, Cas cranked the heat up.

“Goddamn I’m freezin',” barked Dean, putting his hands up to the vents as warm air pumped out into the cold car. “I think my balls crawled all the way back up to my stomach!”

Cas chuckled as he backed out slowly and fell into the chain of cars that was creeping slowly out of the parking lot. “Good game,” he said to Dean, “Thanks for bringing me.”

“They have an away game next week and we don’t usually go to those… but you’re welcome to join again next time we play at home.”

“Thanks,” Cas said quietly, eyes watching the brake lights of the car in front of the them.

“Yeah, no problem Cas. Open invitation.”

Cas nodded. The permanent invitation to join Dean’s ballgame buddy group warmed him more than the heater did. He’d already begun to suspect that they’d remain friends when Dean was finished with him romantically. Now he was certain of it. He’d be another Pam… a good friend who once dated The Great Dean Winchester. He could make his peace with that.

.


	6. Easy Into the Sack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks Ravenwolf36 for editing the story!

 

It took longer to get out of the High School parking lot than it did to get across town and over the river to Harvelle’s. When they arrived, they jogged through the cold night air, their breath turning to fog. Dean pulled the door open and they both rushed through it.

The place was crowded and the air was thick with the scent of cigarettes and spilled alcohol. A bluesy rock song was playing loudly and a few couples were out dancing. As they crossed the floor and slid into a large reserved booth in the back, Cas noticed a young girl dancing on a pool table and drawing a crowd. It was loud in the bar and Cas found himself having to shout to be heard. Dean repeated himself a few times before getting up and sliding over to Cas’ side of the booth. When Pam strutted in, one of the guys at the bar pulled her out to the dance floor before she even got to their table. When Bobby and Ellen arrived, they all pulled out menus and prepared to order food.

The waitress came while Pam was still dancing so Dean ordered her a burger basket and a beer. He ordered the same for himself along with a bottle of whiskey and six glasses before he turned to Cas and asked what he wanted.

“Whatever you’re having,” he shouted over the din.

Dean turned to the waitress and hollered, “Make that two! Extra onions on the first. None on the second!”

Cas smiled warmly at Dean, loving how the man made sure he had what he wanted, even though he didn’t ask.

When it was Ellen and Bobby’s turn to order, Dean turned to Cas and laid his arm around the back of the booth, encircling Cas in it and letting his hand dangle over Cas’ other shoulder. They soon got used to the noise and were able to talk over it better. Bobby took Ellen for a spin around the floor and about the time they got up, Pam and her new friend were flopping down and pouring shots.

“Hey guys, this is Jesse.”

“Hey man,” said Dean as he pulled his arm away from Cas and reached it across the table to shake hands. “I’m Dean, this is Cas.”

“You in?” shouted Pam to Cas.

He nodded to her and watched her pour a round. They all tipped back together and then banged their glasses on the table. She immediately poured another round.

“Bottoms up!” she shouted.

“That’s what he said,” shouted Dean to Cas through laughter.

Ellen and Bobby dropped into the booth in time for the third round. It was a fun night. At one point Dean thought it was a good idea to join a few dozen others for a line dance when the opportunity arose. It was a complete train wreck, but they all laughed their asses off and had a great time.

By the time they left, neither Dean or Cas was in any shape to drive. Their waitress called them a cab and they all hugged a goodbye to the Singers as they left.

It wasn’t easy walking like a man… not considering the shape he was in. He leaned on Dean, but that wasn’t helpful at all. They weaved together as they crossed the sidewalk and flopped gracelessly into the backseat of the cab. It took a while to arrange their legs right and get the door closed. When Cas looked over at Pam, she was on Jesse’s lap and the two were making out heavily.

Cas let his eyes wander over them for a second… they were a hot couple. Then he let his heavy eyelids slide shut and rested his head against the cool window glass as the car started to move. He could feel Dean’s hand on his inner thigh, slowly moving higher, and then there were soft lips nibbling lightly at his ear and working down his neck.

“Cas,” whispered Dean between baby kisses, “Can I take you home?”

“Yes,” he whispered back without even considering.

“You won’t be sorry Cas,” Dean promised, “I’ll make it good for you.”

“I just…” Cas fumbled, slurring his words, “I just want… to know… what your sheets smell like.”

“Oh Cas,” chuckled Dean breathily next to him, “You know how to bring the pillow talk don’tcha.”

Cas’ head was getting really cold where it pressed against the window, but he didn’t want to move it. First of all, it was heavy. Second of all, Dean was so sensual and so enticing as he toyed with Cas that he couldn’t bear to move for fear he’d stop.

Soon the cab slowed and pulled to the curb at Pam’s place and they all fumbled out onto the sidewalk, hugging again and saying half-assed goodbyes. As they did, the cool night air began to clear Cas’ senses.

When they climbed back in the cab, Cas heard Dean giving the driver his address. “No,” said Cas softly, “No Dean. I can’t. I’m sorry, I can’t go home with you.”

“How come?”

“I have a dog. I can’t just leave her and crash somewhere else. S’not fair to her.”

“Okay Cas, what’s your address?”

Cas sat up and forced his eyes to the driver. He gave his address to the back of the man’s head and then let his own flop back onto the seat.

“M’sorry Dean. I want… I wanted to go…”

“S’okay Cas,” said Dean, bringing his face in close as their heads rested on the seatback, “You’ll come over and sniff my sheets some other time.”

They both chuckled softly. Cas rolled his head to the side and peered over at Dean through heavily lidded eyes. “I had fun with you tonight.”

“Me too.”

“I can’t go home with you Dean; but you could come home with me.”

“I thought you’d never ask,” he smiled.

When the cab pulled up outside of Cas’ apartment complex, they got out. Dean paid the driver and then they leaned on each other as they ambled up the walk way and into the building. They took the stairs slowly and then Dean waited patiently while Cas fumbled with the keys to get the door open.

“There she is,” crooned Cas as the door swung open and two expectant eyes settled on them, “the only girl I ever really loved. C’mere and give your daddy a kiss.”

She was more excited than usual, continuing to turn circles and prance for Cas while he lavished her with affection. She regarded Dean warily as Cas baby talked her.

“Does somebody need to tinky?” he goaded her. She switched her tail back and forth, clearly put out. But she let Cas slide a collar around her neck.

“Sorry,” Cas said quietly to Dean, “I need to take her out and then we can relax.”

“No problem,” Dean sighed as the two moved past him. “Can I use your bathroom?”

“Sure.”

Cas walked carefully, and found the whiskey haze fading as he made a lap around the complex with Mable. He talked sweetly to her, waiting as she did what she needed to do and then walking back up the stairs with her.

“Such a good girl,” he was telling her as they pushed back through his door. “Who’s my pretty puppy?” He could hear music coming from his bedroom and grinned at her. “Daddy’s going to leave you on the couch again tonight,” he whispered conspiratorially. “Be a good girl too… because your daddy’s been waiting for this and he wants to enjoy it.”

She cocked her head as she watched him move to the cupboard and pull down a chewy treat for her. When she took off with it and headed for her favorite spot on the living room floor, Cas headed for the bedroom and locked the door. As he leaned against it and looked around his bedroom he saw that Dean had been busy. He’d lit the candles that had been sitting on the dresser and closed the blinds. The room was dark and cozy, lit only by the flickering candles. A soft easy song by the James Gang was playing and Dean… Dean was shirtless. His smooth skin was glowing in the low light and he began walking toward Cas as soon as the door had clicked shut.

Cas watched the man as he strode across the room, belt buckle already undone. His pants slid minutely lower with each step and Cas licked his lips as he watched his man approach. He could hear the belt buckle clinking rhythmically and he intuitively raised a hand to his own belt in response.

“Let me,” husked Dean as he drew in closer, lips pressing to Cas’ neck while his hands pushed Cas’ bumbling fingers out of the way.

“Dean,” whispered Cas as he felt himself pressed back against the door, felt fingers working his zipper down. “Dean!” he repeated, more forcefully this time.

“Yeah Cas?”

“Don’t… don’t be gentle.”

“Shit, Cas,” he croaked, eyes heavily lidded.

Cas looked over Dean’s incredible body. He stood tall, his bowed legs shoulder width apart and wrapped in low riding denim, a dangling belt still weighing them down. Skin, golden in the candle light, was stretched over his hip bones and between them was the tiny little start of a pudgy belly. It quivered under Cas’ heavy gaze. Strapping arms flexed as Dean’s fists curled at his sides and his chin was high, proud, as he let Cas look him over. Then, with a cavalier disposition, he stepped forward and grabbed Cas at waist and shoulder to spin him roughly. He found himself facing the door he’d been leaning on. His arms were bent at the elbow, palms flat against the door and an expectant smile found its way to his lips as he waited for what would come next.

He could feel the air change as Dean leaned in closer, a current of want hanging on the air and humming like electricity between them. Cas held his breath as he felt fingers sliding up under his shirt to tickle down the small of his back and curl around the waist of his pants, grasping them tightly. Then, despite his best efforts, Cas sucked in a ragged breath as he felt his pants being jerked roughly down, exposing his bare ass to the room.

He felt his face burn, a raging blush gathering there in response to being stripped down like this. Despite valiant efforts to keep calm, the feeling of his pants being rucked down to his thighs and left crumpled there was nefarious, and Cas couldn’t help himself. He arched his back and thrust his exposed bottom back against Dean.

The man knew what to do with him too. A sharp snapping sound filled the air and the accompanying sting of having Dean’s open palm smack the tender meat of his ass sent waves of pleasure to his groin while painful tingles gathered at the sight of the injury.

Cas was biting his lip to keep from crying out in both pleasure and surprise. The heat of Dean’s body returned as the man pressed up behind him again.

“Fuck Cas, the things I wanna do to you…”

“Yesss,” he whispered on an exhale, sagging against the door as he surrendered to strong hands.

The coarse material of Dean’s jeans was sweet torture as it chaffed against the soft tissue of his butt cheeks. Dean’s voice was a growl in his ear as the man rocked into him from behind.

“I know you like to be a bad boy and get spanked Cas, maybe you should do something naughty for me.”

“Yes.”

Dean wrapped arms around his waist and pulled his weight from the door, encouraging Cas to lean back on him as his fingers worked to unbutton Cas’ shirt. When it was hanging open, Dean’s hands slid upward over Cas’ stomach and pecs, brushing his nipples as he went. Cas worked to steady his breathing and let his head fall back on Dean’s shoulder. He felt lips tickle at his neck as his man pulled the shirt up off his shoulders and then his world was suddenly off kilter again as Dean shoved him forward, back into the door, holding his shirt back. Cas turned his face to the side as his chest hit the door with a pronounced thud. Behind him, his arms were still in sleeves and Dean was tugging to free them. As he was liberated from cotton, one arm at a time, he returned his palms to their resting place on the door and focused on his balance as he toed his shoes off.

As he kicked them aside, he felt Dean lowering himself to the floor. Crouched down behind Cas, Dean worked to pull Cas’ pants the rest of the way off, his socks too, tapping Cas’ calf each time he needed a leg lifted.

His nakedness was very pronounced to him, given that Dean was still in jeans and boots. The sound of a loose and clunking belt buckle gave away his partners movements, even though Cas was facing away from him, with his eyes closed and his head resting on the door.

Strong hands gripped his thighs then, and a mouth planted soft butterfly kisses on the sensitive skin at the backs of his knees. The kisses became more forceful as they tracked higher and by the time Dean’s mouth was arriving at the place where his leg met his butt cheek, a determined tongue was licking wide stripes. Cas’ heart was pounding and his skin was crawling from wanting to move. His mouth watered with all he wanted, but he forced himself to be still and wait.

When Dean’s mouth crested the curve of Cas’ ass, he felt goosebumps break out and when the man clamped down on his skin and sucked mightily he couldn’t help but call out his lovers name. Dean loved hearing it too… he could tell. Hands clenched down and gripped his thighs tightly and Dean’s short breaths ghosted over his skin. When Dean’s lip lock on his ass relented, Cas felt a tongue snake out and swirl over the wet spot. It rolled over his cheek toward his crack and as it approached, Cas lost the ability to control his breathing. Dean licked along his crevice as Cas panted heavily against the door while that wicked tongue tasted the line of him teasingly, but didn’t sink in.

“Mmmm” hummed Dean as he worked higher and pulled himself into a standing position, “I love the smell of you Cas, and the taste.”

Cas was still panting, overrun with desire as Dean’s tongue ran a straight line up his spine and swirled again at the base of his neck. Heavy hands found their place on Cas’ hips and where there had been a hot, wet mouth… now there was the cold metal of a belt buckle pressing into Cas' flesh, zipper teeth rubbing, a hard cock trapped behind denim and pressing into him. Cas’ body responded by arching his back again, shoving his ass out behind him. He was aching for that hard dick to find its way out of pants. He may not be begging with his mouth, but his body was showing Dean how much he wanted to be fucked, whether he liked it or not.

Cas knew that Dean loved to be begged and dirty talked… the man had told him so. And he, in turn, had told Dean how he liked to be spanked. But now, here in Cas’ room, both drunk and horny, they were holding back. Both of them. Drawing this out… wanting it to last… wanting it to take all night.

Cas’ body was bowed, pushing back against Dean again, harder this time, more demanding. He earned himself another smack for it too and he smiled as he felt his cheeks reverberate, his flesh singing at the corporeal nature of the interaction. As his body accepted the punishment, his dick grew heavier and he found himself reaching for it, squeezing it just to quell the ache of wanting Dean so much.

Behind him, he heard Dean taking down his pants. Finally, he thought. He pressed his forehead to the door and scrunched his eyes shut as he waited, wondering what Dean would do to him next. His ears picked up the clunk, clunk of boots hitting the floor one after the other. He knew that Dean was naked now and couldn’t help but turn around to get a good look.

He leaned back on the door as he watched Dean approach him, shoulders squared and chin held high as their eyes connected. Cas could only hold the stare for a moment and when it broke he looked down, anxious to see what Dean’s cock looked like. It bobbed from side to side as he stepped closer and when Dean noticed how Cas was watching it… he took it in hand and continued to stroke it languidly even when they were face to face.

“C’mon Cas, you know you want it,” Dean said haughtily, “Suck my dick.”

It was demeaning the way Dean said it. It was meant to be. He could tell by the twitch of a playful smile at the corner of the man’s mouth. Cas slithered to his knees and licked his lips, reaching for Dean with both hands as he leaned in to obey.

“Cas,” Dean growled, “Put your hands behind your back.”

Cas did as instructed and then waited there… on his knees with his hands behind his back. “Yes, Mr. Winchester,” he said with a wink.

Despite the flirty undertone of their sexual games, he wasn’t going to lean in to take Dean into his mouth. If this was to be his position, then Dean was coming to him. He looked up from the floor and raised an eyebrow at Dean; it was defiance that he knew would help Dean to remember that Cas was only obeying when he felt like it. But deep down where his insides were churning, he also hoped it might earn him a punishment too... maybe a forceful hand on the back of his head or powerful thrust to the back of his throat. His neglected cock was throbbing with want. His hands were empty and so was his mouth and it was excruciating to have to wait for Dean to decide to comply. But Cas knew that he would.

When Dean took a step to close the gap between them, he did it with a sly half-smile and a fist wrapped around the base of his shaft. He pushed the tip up to Cas’ lips and Cas let the soft skin of his crown just wait there for a beat before he opened his mouth a little and let Dean in. A calloused hand guided the considerable length in into Cas' mouth gently, giving Cas plenty of time to wet it all before he began moving it in and out. Cas looked up at Dean from his subservient position and forced himself to hold the man’s gaze as Dean rolled his hips smoothly forward and back. The slurping sounds got louder as Dean picked up the pace and it didn’t take long for his hand to come to rest on Cas’ head.

As fingers curled into Cas’ hair, he worked to tip his head into just the right angle so that the head of Dean’s cock would find his throat open and ready. Cas' pulse was pounding as he anticipated how it would feel when Dean's neediness took over and he stopped fucking _politely_ into Cas’ mouth.

Cas couldn’t help but be turned on by the salacious nature of their lewd act. When Dean’s eyes slid shut and his head tipped back, Cas let his eyes fall to the mammoth cock that was riding over his tongue. He watched the man’s stomach clench each he pulled out of the vacuum of Cas' mouth. Then he heard the moan from above as Dean rocked back in, pushing farther back with each thrust.

Cas obediently took it, timing his breaths and letting the saliva that pooled in his mouth get sloppy on his chin as his face was fucked, faster and faster with each push. Yeah, Dean was starting to lose his control and Cas smiled around the hefty weight of him as the slippery cock pushed farther back into his throat. Cas’ body was a live wire as he readied himself, feeling Dean’s hand clamp down on the back of his head was the giveaway. He tightened himself from the shoulders up and held his breath as his head was shoved forward hard and a cock hard enough to be packed with cement was shoved to the back of his throat. It felt like he was being split open as he held his position and worked to keep his teeth off. His throat was aching and sore and his mouth was flooded with saliva as the battering ram retreated. He gagged as it slammed back in again, attempting to pull away from it for the first time. He'd reached his limit but Dean didn’t release him, strong arm keeping his head locked over a thick dick and not letting him pull away.

His protest was lost on the flesh that impaled him, the sound of his garbled cry lost in the slurping noise he made as his mouth continued to try and suck despite his body’s protest to the action. His dick pulsed pre-come, swinging heavily beneath him as he was choked in the best was imaginable. Even now, he wished he could get more of Dean in his mouth.

“Oh Cas,” praised Dean as his heavy hand relented and petted his hair, “fucking hell… so fucking good... what are we gonna do with you?”

Cas didn’t answer, content to let Dean pull out of his mouth and busy himself with licking it and nosing down low, trying to suck balls without leaning too far forward and losing his balance.

“Cas, baby, you know what you’re doin’ don’tcha? You’re so good… so good on my cock… so sexy on your knees… so perfect down there…"

Cas soaked up his man’s heartfelt praise and continued finding new ways to keep his mouth on Dean’s engorged package.

“Dammit Cas, I know you want a spankin’ but how can I punish you when you’re so perfect for me?”

Cas ate up the man’s words, licking in deeper and swallowing down the salty, skunky saliva and jizz mix that had been building in his mouth. He let Dean’s inner thighs wipe the mess of spit from his chin as he pressed his nose into flesh, inhaling deeply. So often he’d wondered what Dean would feel like, what he’d taste like. Now that he knew, he never wanted to forget.

It was so good to be with a man who wasn’t afraid to treat him the way he liked… someone who didn’t apologize for every obscene thing they felt like trying. Someone who knew it was okay to deliver a real spanking… one that set his cheeks on fire… one that he could feel in his dick rather than the pathetic love pats that his last man had called spankings. It had been so frustrating to lay himself out and beg for things that his lover just couldn’t give him. 

But now, now there was Dean. A man who had his number right away. A man who’d known that he liked being spanked before he’d ever even been told. Someone who marked him up with dirt and motor oil because he’d known, even then, that Cas loved it… wanted to wear his marks… wanted to be claimed… wanted pink cheeks and hickeys and finger prints. Someone like Dean. Dean, who accepted all the shameless and scandalous things Cas wanted to do and didn’t hesitate to give him what he needed. Even as he licked the man’s sack and waited on throbbing sore knees, he was praying that this wasn’t a one off. He wanted this again and again. He’d never get enough of Dean.

“Such a good boy,” Dean was proclaiming, “Wanna reward my good boy, Cas.”

Cas let Dean pull him to his feet and walk him to the bed. He kept his eyes on Dean’s pecs as he was lowered down. He pushed himself backwards, getting all the way on the bed, and then looked up to see what Dean was going to do. It was incredible to see those green eyes look at him, so full of lust and excitement. He waited there, relaxing on the bed as Dean lowered his face and kissed him deeply, sensually. He felt the weight of the man settle on him and as the kisses trailed lower, he gave Dean what he knew the man wanted. He said ‘please.’

“Please, Dean, please,” he begged, hands wrapping around Dean’s strong shoulders in an embrace as he let the words roll off his tongue, “Please fuck me.”

“Oh baby,” responded Dean, rolling his hips down, “You know I’ll take care of my baby.”

Cas let himself be manhandled again, no protests as he found himself being turned over. He put his face into the comforter. Dean trailed kisses down his back and along his crack, running hands over him smoothly and then working his body down between Cas’ legs. With arms circling Cas’ curved buttocks, he pushed his face between cheeks, letting his face get buried and flicking out his tongue as he found the tight bud of puckered skin around Cas’ entrance.

“Ahh,” Cas cried out as Dean tongued him, “Oh Dean! Dean! Yeeaaass! More please, more!” It didn’t take long for Cas to lose his shit and beg for real… his body desperate for more than just a soft wet tongue. He needed cock. Dean’s cock.

“Dean,” he called out as he was tongue fucked with urgency and enthusiasm, “Fucking take me Dean, I need you to fuck me!”

“Patience baby boy,” Dean whispered to him as he licked lower and lapped circles around the sensitive area behind Cas’ balls, “I know what you need, you need my cock in you, right?”

“Yes, Dean, yes… fuck me please!

With that, Dean returned his tongue to Cas’ waiting hole and plunged in, shoving a finger in with it and bringing a strange sound to Cas’ lips… it was a cry of pain and groan for more at the same time and it sounded like a wounded animal, even to Cas’ ears. He spread his legs wider on the bed, working his knees up under him a little and crying out again when another finger worked its way in. His hole was on fire, stretching fast and searing in pain.

Dean’s soothing tongue found its way back to circle around his enflamed red tissue and Cas thanked him out loud when he pursed his lips and blew cool air on the affected area. It sent a skittering of shivers up his spine and ramped up his anticipation. How much longer? How much longer did he have to wait? His dick was aching, trapped in the hot blankets under his body and no matter how much he arched his back and preened his ass in the air… there was no dick in it!

Dean had teased him to the end of his patience and he could take no more. “I need to come Dean,” he told the man in his normal deep and commanding voice, the one he used on his students, “You’re going to fuck me now.”

“Yes Mr. Novak,” Dean said with mock reverence as scuttled up the bed and pushed Cas higher up on his knees. “Is this what you wanted?” Dean questioned as he pressed a wide cockhead to the spit slick hole that teased him.

“I want lube,” Cas said firmly.

Dean let out a chuckle and leaned to the side as he asked simply, “Drawer?”

“Yes Dean.”

Cas peeked over his shoulder and grinned as Dean winked at him and then drizzled lube all over his backside. Cas pushed up into the touch as Dean spread silky smooth gel over his cheeks and trailed fingers teasingly over his hole. He closed his eyes to enjoy it and soon heard the telltale sound of a condom snapping and a cock being slathered up. He curled his fingers into the covers and readied himself for Dean.

It was a heady thing to be filled up like this… especially when it was someone like Dean who was both well-endowed and well-practiced in the art of giving and receiving pleasure. Cas took in a deep breath and exhaled it slowly as he felt his body loosen and accept all that Dean was giving him. It may have been measured in inches, but it felt like feet. It felt like an elephant trunk sliding in, thick and long. When he finally felt Dean’s thighs buttressed up against him, he also felt a head laid on his back between his shoulder blades. A small peck of a kiss. It was a sweet gesture, a loving gesture, a moment of closeness while they both adjusted to the feel of this and let the want build up again.

Then, with another kiss to the back of Cas’ neck, Dean started to move. It didn’t take long for his purposeful thrusts to bring Cas back to begging. They moved together easily, Cas rocking back onto Dean’s cock and Dean reaching under Cas’ belly to wrap a firm hand around his dick. It gave him something to thrust into as he moved forward and back on Dean’s shaft, matching the force of his lovers thrusts.

“Dean,” Cas panted as the waves of pleasure began coming faster, “hold it tighter for me, please, Dean!”

Dean complied, gripping Cas’ cock and his hip as he chased his own end and snapped his hips in a punishing rhythm. Both of them cried out when their moment came, only a few seconds apart. And then they eased down into the bed together, sweaty, sticky and spent.

Breathing heavily on the back of Cas’ neck, Dean panted out, “You. Blew. My mind. Cas. You blew my mind.”

Cas smiled into the covers and said, “I’ve never been fucked like that in my life Dean. It was incredible.”

When their bodies had cooled and their breathing was evened out, Cas pulled himself out from under Dean and headed for the bathroom. He splashed a little water on his face and wiped himself up front and back. Then, he took a warm wet rag and headed back to Dean on shaky knees.

The man was getting up.

“Look at you,” Dean smiled as he put two feet on the floor, “comin to clean me up… you’re awesome. But I’ve got it.”

Cas stood there, holding the rag for a beat as Dean walked by him and playfully swatted his ass. He couldn’t move as he heard the bathroom door close behind him. Cas had planned to clean Dean up and then crawl back in bed with him, tuck in next to the man and fall asleep warm and content. But it wasn’t to be so. Dean was in the bathroom cleaning up. When he came out, he’d put his clothes back on and call a cab so he could leave.

Cas found the will to walk to the bed and get off his unsteady legs. He dropped the rag to the floor and sat there. He didn’t want to curl up in an empty bed and let all the warmth and good feelings leave with Dean. But he had no choice. He could ask Dean to stay, and the man would likely comply. But what as the point of him staying if he didn’t really want to be here?

Resigned, Cas moved to the dresser and pulled out a pair of sleep pants. He tugged them on and then walked slowly to the bedroom door, opening it for Mable. She had been curled up at the threshold, getting to her feet as the door had swung open. She looked up at Cas now, sniffing the air.

He wondered what she thought of the smell. Did she know the smell of sex? She clearly noticed it, but didn’t seem to give it much thought. She walked past him and hopped up on the bed like she did every other night. The bed didn’t seem so empty now and he went ahead and climbed into it. His body was exhausted and despite the hollow feeling in his chest, he was soon drifting peacefully.

When the bathroom door opened, Dean’s voice broke the stillness, “Damn, gone for five minutes and she just pushes right into my spot.”

Cas poked his head up and looked across the bed. Dean’s face was warm, smiling. He winked at Cas as he made a show out of sliding back in the bed and jostling Mable until he found a comfortable position. Then, both he and Mable put their heads down. Cas’ heart swelled in his chest as he looked across the pillow and met eyes with Dean.

“Thanks for staying,” he whispered.

“Try to get rid of me,” he chuckled.

“I wasn’t sure,” said Cas honestly, “I didn’t know what to expect. I know you do this a lot.”

“Been talking to the ladies, I see,” Dean huffed as he turned onto his back and looked at the ceiling.

“It’s okay Dean.  I know what I got myself into.”

“What’s that?” he pressed. “What did you get yourself into?” he asked again with a note of irritation in his voice.

“I didn’t mean anything by that,” said Cas softly, “I’m just saying that I don’t have any delusions about us… what we are.”

“What are we Cas?” he challenged.

“Well, we’re just… having fun I guess. I’m not expecting anything more than that. I know it won’t last.”

“Why? Why won't it last? Because it didn’t last with any of them?”

Cas was silent, not sure why his words were irritating Dean but determined to stop talking before he made it worse.

“Look Cas, I’m not one to turn down pussy. Or cock for that matter. If somebody’s interested, I’ll go for it. See how it plays out. The fact that I’m easy to get in the sack… why does that mean bad things for you and me? I’ve never cheated on anybody. You’ve got no reason to assume that I’m gonna jump off your cock and go hop on someone else’s.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply…”

“S’okay,” Dean relented softly, “I know I have a rep. It’s fine. I just don’t really get it. I’ve been good to them all… hell, I’m still friends with most of them. Would I be a better person if it took me more than one night with Becky Rosen to know she wasn’t for me? What about Lisa,” he pushed, “How long would I need to arbitrarily stay with her before I could move on without being called a man-whore?”

Cas was silent. Thinking.

“Seriously, man, I really think people make way too much out of that shit. I get in and I get out at my own pace… why does that make me public dating enemy number one?”

“You’re right,” Cas answered him, “It shouldn’t. I’m sorry.”

“S’okay,” said Dean, deflating a little and letting his hand find Cas’ under the covers, “Besides, you’re so different from the rest of them, I think all bets are off.”

“How am I different,” he laughed, “because I’m a guy?”

“You’re not my first guy,” replied Dean through his laughter, “but you sure suck cock like a boss!”

From under the covers, he brought his hand up to cup Cas’ face. “I like the way you look at me,” he added softly, “but I have to earn it. Keeps it interesting.”

“Dean, I’ve misjudged you,” he whispered, “Not just in the beginning, but even now. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Dean, relaxing into the bed and closing his eyes, “Let’s just say you’ve earned a spankin’ for next time and let it go, huh?”

Cas grinned and nodded, snuggling down into the covers. His body was warm with Dean’s words. No, the man hadn’t promised him anything. But yet, he had. He’d promised Cas that this thing between them wasn’t a just speedy march to a predictable end. This was the beginning of something… something amazing.

As he drifted off to sleep with his man and his dog, Cas was both content for now and full of hope for the future. He’d spent months thinking he needed to get out of here; trying to figure out which state he wanted to move to. But in the meantime he’d built a life here in Kansas, and now that Dean was in it? He couldn’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be.

.


	7. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Ravenwolf36 for editing this so quickly! (And always reminding me to update tags)

Cas stared at the ceiling and tried to relax. It was pointless. There was no way he was going to be able to sleep. He could feel Mable tucked against his leg and he could hear the shallow, even breathing of his bedmate. Not wanting to disturb either of them with his restlessness, Cas very slowly and very carefully slid his body up the bed so that his butt could rest where his shoulders normally would. Then he carefully rearranged the pillows behind him and leaned back. If he couldn’t sleep, he may as well read. He clicked on his bedside lamp and then glanced over at his lover to be sure the light hadn’t disturbed him. With his back to Cas, the man seemed oblivious. Mable lifted her head as he reached for his book and immediately dropped back to sleep when she saw he wasn’t getting up.

The mystery he’d been reading through was getting to a good part. He settled back into the pillows and flicked to the page he’d dog-eared. It had been a long day and he was tired, so why couldn’t sleep was a mystery. Maybe it was just stress. His life hadn’t exactly been a smooth sailing ship lately. He’d been teaching at Lawrence High as a full time faculty member in the History department for over two months. But in total, he’d been employed by the school district for about fifteen months now. He’d started last year as a substitute teacher and transitioned into to his own classroom this year. Yes, he would’ve preferred the English department rather than History, but at the end of the day it was the students that made his profession what it was… not the subject he taught.

His time at Lawrence had been full of ups and downs… good times and bad times… first times and last times. Some of his firsts? A Christmas holiday without his family, chaperoning a school dance, being spanked with a riding crop, actually paying income tax and visiting Jamaica. Some of his lasts? Truth or Dare. Yep. Never again. And flying first class… what a waste. Another ‘last’ was filing his income tax with a deduction for being a student.

Bad times… he’d rather not dwell on. But, if he’s listing things, he’d have to count being dumped. Yeah, this year hadn’t seen his first break up and it wasn’t likely his last either. But it never got any easier. He could probably list a few other bad times that he’d survived over the last year but it was so much healthier, Cas thought, to focus on the good times. He’d met and fallen in love with Dean Winchester. That was definitely a good time in his life.

He’d been with Dean for about a year too… so he’d been fortunate enough to spend every single holiday with the man at least once. Each had been wonderful in its own way.  Halloween had been fun. Their relationship was so new then… it made his heart ache to even remember the feeling of it. They’d stayed at Dean’s place that night… both he and Mable. They had handed out candy to trick or treaters and then eaten the leftovers as they watched a marathon of their favorite scary movies.

Then, Dean had bound and gagged him and left a vibrator in his ass on high as he’d spanked him to tears and a screaming orgasm. Yeah… it had been an amazing night. Dean, being a full time teacher, didn’t want to go to any of the Halloween parties they’d been invited to. He wanted to stay home and vigilantly protect his place from any wayward teens that might want to tee-pee his house. But no one had come to do the unthinkable. And why would they? The kids all adored Dean. Cas had never complained about a “night in” after that either.

Christmas had been lovely. Cas and his family were divided over a nasty dispute involving two of his brothers, so there had been no family celebration to go home to. Dean had been depressed too… Sam wasn’t coming back to Kansas for the holidays, choosing to go to Aspen with his girlfriend instead. So, since the two of them had no plans for the holiday, they’d booked themselves into a resort in Jamaica for the week. It had been perfectly lovely… probably the best trip he’d ever taken. Ever.

The beautiful vistas, the friendly locals, the incredible beaches… the hot nights in their suite with Dean. It was all wonderful. Drinks had been included in their package so they’d pretty much been drunk the whole week. They’d smoked Jamaican weed and lost the few inhibitions they’d ever had. Cas, feeling sexy and brave, had thrown open their balcony doors and stripped naked… he’d taken Deans dick like a man too… bent over the railing of their balcony and watching the people on the pool deck below as Dean fucked into him from behind and shamed him for being such a naughty boy.

Cas had pretended to be oblivious to the eyes that wandered over to them from neighboring balconies, but he wasn’t, and it was so salacious to be watched as he was spanked that he came twice that night, calling out Dean’s name both times. The Jamaican sun was hot and it had given their cheeks a sun-kiss of pink. Dean had been hot in their suite too and Cas’ other set of cheeks were also sporting a fiery pink tinge. He had pictures to prove it.

Their New Year’s celebration… um yeah… he didn’t remember much from that. He remembered drinking at the Roadhouse, but everything after 9pm was a blur. Valentines had been nice too. They’d both agreed that they were dudes and didn’t need to bother with the whole thing. But, he’d baked a pie for Dean. He didn’t refer to it as anything special. He just did it and they ate it without acknowledging that it had anything to do with Valentines. That same night, laying together in the afterglow of incredible sex, Dean had whispered “I love you” in Cas’ ear as he’d pecked his cheek goodnight.

The memories of his holidays with Dean were all good ones. Almost all his memories with Dean were good ones. The fact that his relationship with Dean was over now didn’t make those times any less real or any less valuable. Except that it kind of did.

Feeling a familiar ache in his chest for the loss of Dean, Cas reminded himself that he should be losing himself in a book right now, not wandering down memory lane. He glanced at his bedmate for a moment before he picked up reading where he’d left off.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Zar said with a flourish as he plucked Cas’ book from his chest, “Fall asleep reading again, love?”

“Yeah, I guess so…” he answered, squinting and trying to force his eyes to open against the glare of bright morning sun. “Damn,” he groaned, “My neck… it’s killing me… would you please grab me some aspirin while you’re in there?” Balthazar, his latest lover, was already in the bathroom brushing his teeth. Cas scooted into a more comfy position and let his head rest with his eyes closed for a moment as he listened to the man brush, spit, gargle, rinse.

“Here you go darling,” he said when he returned, “I’m off now.”

Cas leaned in when the man pecked the top of his head and then turned his attention to the pills and glass of water that had been laid on the nightstand for him. As he took them he heard the door click shut as Zar left for work. Mable, having seen him out, wandered back into the room and hopped up on the bed with Cas.

“I know,” he gruffed when she stared him down, “I know. But Dean doesn’t want me anymore, so just get used to him.”

She turned a careful circle on the bed and flopped down, tucking her nose to her tail and watching to see if he’d lay back down and join her in slumber. He reached for his alarm and re-set it. He could get another forty minutes of sleep before he had to be up to get ready for work. Zar was a professor at the University of Kansas so he had to leave a lot sooner than Cas in order to be at work on time. Despite being short on sleep and fostering an unholy headache from having slept sitting up, Cas found his body reluctant to sink into the restful oblivion of sleep. Rather, he found his mind still circling in the same place it had been last night… the memories of his time so far in Lawrence.

He’d been living in this apartment for only a few months when he’d first met Dean at the start of school last year. They’d begun dating shortly after they met and they’d stayed together for about a year. It was strange how something as wonderful as being offered a full time faculty position at the school ended up being the beginning of the end with Dean. But for some reason, it had been.

They had celebrated the news together, but it had been shortly after that when they’d had their first real fight. Cas couldn’t even remember how it started now… only the feeling of frustration and anger that had accompanied it and the make-up sex they’d both enjoyed.

But as Cas’ life had started to really come together, his relationship with Dean had fallen apart. He’d been so in love with Dean and so comfortable here in Lawrence that the question of whether or not to stay here had been easily answered. Once he knew he had full time employment, renting an apartment really didn’t seem to make sense anymore. He’d begun house hunting shortly after. In hindsight, that alone had caused several fights.

Cas had fun going to open houses and riding along with his realtor to look at the newest offerings on the market. Dean didn’t seem to enjoy this like Cas did, so he’d let his man off the hook for the endeavor and just went by himself. But even that had pissed off Dean.

Now, laying in a quiet bed, their shouted words echoed in his mind…

“Goddammit, Cas get outta my ass!”

“I was never in your…”

“Don’t be a dick. All I’m askin is for one damn Saturday, you don’t go out with your fucking girlfriend!”

“She’s my realtor not my girlfriend, now who’s being an ass?”

“Better an ass than a douche!”

“What the fuck Dean?”

“The last three places you looked at were in the section of town reserved for douchenozzles! I always knew you were a little on the snobby side but for fuck’s sake, Cas…”

“Snobby? After knowing me all this time you still think I’m snobby???”

“Yes! Only a snob would spend a HALF MILLION DOLLARS on a McMansion when he’s just a teacher!”

“One. There was one house I looked at for $475k. It was just for fun. I was never going to buy it.”

“Because you didn’t want it? Or because you couldn’t have it?”

“Dean, what the fuck are we even fighting about? Can we just let this go?”

“Fine!”

“Fine!’

Even now, months later, the angry words had an effect on him and as he remembered, he could literally _feel_ the doors slamming as they’d both stormed from room to room… during this fight, and many after it. For the entire months of August and September they’d fought about everything from house hunting to grocery shopping. No subject had been safe anymore by the time they’d reached their end.

The first weeks without Dean had been horrible. The silence of living alone had been amplified as he was left in his apartment to realize how much of a presence Dean had really been in his life. Their break up had been hot gossip at the school too and there were constant reminders down every hall. Even if he could’ve escaped the mind-fuck of memories that surrounded him while he was teaching… the pitying looks of their mutual friends were there to weigh him down.

He’d been exhausted when he’d gotten home each day, wrung out and pitifully lonely. Sad too. All the time. Mable tried to console him but there was nothing to do but wait for the pain to subside. He’d been through breakups before and he knew the pain would eventually fade. Likely when he found someone new. The distraction of a crush was a welcome one that evaded him for months. Until about six weeks ago when he’d met Zar at bookclub.

He’d turned down a lot of action while he’d been moping around… no one night stand that was offered or implied had been enticing enough to follow through on. But when he’d met Zar, that had changed. He’d been absolutely enchanted with the man from the very first moment. Their conversations were stimulating and the man had a zest for life that was enthralling. To be near him was to be captivated. He’d known the man only a few days when he found himself inviting him into his bedroom. The sex had been a bit of a letdown the first time, but it had improved a bit since. There is nothing wrong with Zar. He’s just a very gentle lover and it’s a bit unfulfilling in comparison to his passionate affair with Dean.

Zar is well read and well spoken. He never, ever talks with his mouthful. He doesn’t say the words ‘wanna’ and ‘gonna’. He’s fun and flirty and sexy… that British accent doesn’t hurt either.

So why is it that Cas always finds himself comparing the man to Dean? Within ten minutes of meeting Dean Winchester he’d forgotten all about the “what’s his name” he’d been crying over at the time. But here he was, six weeks in with a new man, and still pining over Dean. Something wasn’t adding up.

At least he had someone, he thought to himself. It had been rough being newly single and having to watch Dean work his way through a dozen very public hookups. When he’d see his ex-lover in the faculty lounge or at a school function, he’d been unable to even look him in the eye. He couldn’t stand for Dean to see just how lost he was now… how lonely… how sad and pathetic.

He’d tried to be friendly, he really had. He’d still sat with Dean’s crew at the football games for a while… everyone in the group including Dean had made it clear he was welcome there. But it was too hard. He’d ended up crawling off alone like an old dog to die, not even going to the games anymore.

Having Zar in his life had changed that. He now felt like he could stand in the same room with Dean without slinking away. He still couldn’t really look at the man. Not really. But he was doing much better. And now that the gossip mill knew he was with someone, they considered the matter closed. The break-up of the year was now yesterday’s news. It was better this way, Cas thought, because now he was the only one who knew how empty his life really was.

He didn’t want to sell Zar short, the man was incredible. But he just wasn’t Dean.

When the alarm went off again, his neck was a bit improved. But as he got out of bed, Cas could tell that his head, neck and shoulders were going to carry a dull ache all day long. He showered and took Mable for her walk, loving the change of season that was upon them. The leaves were turning and people were starting to wear jackets and sweaters.

When he left for work he tossed Mable a bone on his way out. The drive was uneventful as were his first few classes of the day. He got a funny text from Zar over lunch, which he shared with Jody and Donna as they ate.

Now that he and Dean were over, he’d earned himself a seat at the vixens table. But he didn’t want it. He hadn’t liked their type in high school… why start now? Pam was the obvious exception. Though she never pressured him to sit at her table or come to the football games with them, she had her ways of making sure he was okay. A hug from Pam was worth twenty from most anyone else.

That evening, he and Cole and a few others had come out for drinks after volleyball. They wound up at Dempsey’s, one of their usual spots, and Cas was a few drinks in when he got a text from Zar asking if he’d like to meet up for a drink. He immediately responded with his location and was all smiles when he saw his sexy man come strutting in.

Zar liked to dress sexy. He often opted for low cut V-necks under his suit jackets while his colleagues wore shirts like Cas…  with stiffly pressed collars and neck ties. Zar? No ties. Not normally anyway. A necklace? Sure. But no tie.

Cas waved when he saw the man enter and he watched as his new lover slid easily through the crowd and sidled up next to him at a pool table. They greeted each other with a kiss and Zar kept an arm around Cas’ waist as he greeted each of Cas’ companions with a handshake.

The evening passed quickly with Zar’s witty banter and fun stories. Even the dullest of tales were better in a British accent and Zar had no dull tales. He kept them entertained all evening with funny one liners about his students, engaging debates with his peers and re-tellings of the drunken escapades from his wild youth.

Cas was still laughing as they walked through the door to his apartment. He greeted Mable and took her outside while Zar moved deeper into Cas’ apartment.

“I think you should start house hunting again,” the man said when Cas returned, “I was passing by the loveliest place today and it was for sale and I thought of you.”

“You’re just saying that because you hate my crackerjack box,” teased Cas gently.

“Darling, I’d visit you in a cardboard box. But really, wouldn’t a jetted tub be more fun?”

“Indeed,” replied Cas as he moved through the bedroom and into the bathroom.

“I’m not staying tonight, by the way, just thought I should say.”

“Okay,” Cas called from the bathroom as he pulled out his toothbrush.

“What?” he asked flatly, looking at Mable who was eyeing him from the door way, “He doesn’t bite. Go lay down, I’ll be there in a second.”

“You know she can’t actually understand you, right?” winked Zar peering around the corner.

“Mhmm,” he agreed as he worked the toothbrush over his teeth. Once he’d finished his nightly ritual in the bathroom, he headed for the dresser and stepped into a pair of sleep pants. Mable stood at his left as while he dressed and then followed him to the bed.

“Mable dear,” called Zar teasingly from the kitchen. She didn’t move. “Maaaaybaaaal” Zar called again. She still didn’t move. “I have a treat for you… a treeeeaaaaat!” Cas looked over at his dog. She met his eye. If she could speak… he was certain that she’d be saying, “Does that douchebag really think I’m going to get off this bed for him?”

Cas looked up, amused, when Zar entered the room and leaned on the doorjamb. “Sweetheart,” he said pointedly to Cas, “If you don’t want her watching as I make love to you, then help me get her out of the room?”

Cas chuckled and hefted out of the bed. As soon as his feet were on the floor, Mable was at his side. She followed him to the kitchen where he gave her a chew bone. He chuckled as he watched her carry it to her favorite spot on the living room floor. Then he headed for the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

“I swear,” said Zar in a sassy tone, “That dog is the equivalent of a live in mother-in-law.”

Cas burst out laughing and Zar joined him.

“She’s a cock block of epic proportions!” he teased as he wrapped his arms around Cas and moved him towards the bed. “I’m going to,” he said as he pulled Cas’ pajama pants down, “have to sign her up for Seniors play dates or something, so I can have some alone time with my boyfriend.”

Cas smiled, feeling himself stiffen as a smooth hand slide between them and wrapped around his flaccid dick. Zar stroked him lightly as he chubbed up in the man’s palm.

“Alone at last,” he whispered as he eased Cas down on the cool sheets. He’d had a few drinks at the bar and was pleasantly buzzed. Added to that, the tingly feeling of having someone suck his nipples put him in the mood quickly. He reached out and took Zar in hand too, starting with a slow stoke but soon finding himself needing a bit more.

“Mmm” he hummed as the man abandoned sucking his nipples for nibbling at them. “Yesss,” he whispered when Zar pushed his hand away from his dick and started crawling down Cas’ body. He trailed kisses southward as he went and soon a warm mouth enveloped his cock, tongue skilled and breathing heavy with want. Cas responded by laying his hand on Zar’s head, curling his fingers, a polite touch. He didn’t push down. Zar wasn’t rough like that… like Dean.

Chastising himself mentally for thinking of his ex while in bed with his man, Cas decided further distraction was needed and cupped his palm under his lovers chin to pull him up so he could look at him.

“Just make love to me,” he said softly.

 _Make love? What are you a girl?_ The thought popped into his head unexpectedly and he chuckled despite himself. It was probably strange to have heard it in Dean’s voice, but he wasn’t pining. It was just a very ‘Dean’ kind of thought.

Zar was reaching over him now, digging through the drawer for lube. Cas sighed, relaxing on the bed as he waited. When a cool, slick finger slid between his cheeks, Cas spread his legs and groaned with pleasure as he felt his man slide between them. Zar always watched as he worked on Cas and honestly, Cas kind of liked it. He moaned as he was finger fucked and when he felt a third finger slide in, he knew it was almost time. He pulled a knee to his chest, opening himself up further, ready to be had. The sliding in was always good… he loved that feeling of being forced open and filled.

He also loves the feeling of closeness that’s inevitable when two people are practically attached to each other. It’s an intimacy that he doesn’t take for granted. That shared feeling of anticipation when you first start to move together, the single mindedness of building toward a climax together, breathing each other’s air, hearing each other’s noises, holding someone as you reach your peak and then ride a wave of pleasure. Together.

It seems appropriate to call it making love. So why does he always chuckle when he hears Zar say it? Why does he still prefer hearing Dean say “fuck” over Zar saying “make love?”

Why the FUCK can’t he move on from Dean Winchester?

Cas gasps his release into Zar’s neck, and holds on tight as his body locks and his tip shoots globs of slick jizz between their bellies.

“You’re wonderful darling,” says his blue-eyed bedmate as he hugs Cas to his chest, “Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.”

Cas doesn’t really know what to say at this moment. He never does. He hugs Zar back and tucks his head into the man’s chest hoping that no words will be required. Soon enough, they are growing itchy from the drying mess between them and his lover leaves the warmth of the bed for the bathroom. Cas is tired and doesn’t even realized he’s drifted off until he feels a warm wet washcloth gently cleaning off his tummy.

“Thank you,” he whispers.

“You’re most welcome, love,” comes the answer, “sleep now, I must be going. But I’ll ring you in the morning, alright?”

“Alright. Good night Zar.”

Balthazar's, “good night,” is accompanied by a kiss to Cas’ forehead and thankfully, he’s able to fall back asleep.

The next morning, as he’s making coffee, Cas gets a text message from his boyfriend. It’s an address. “I think you’ll like it,” the message assures him.

“How much?” he texts back.

The answer is immediate. $420k. Damn.

“Out of my price range,” he answers.

Zar responds, “Let’s just go have a look, shall we? It will be fun!”

“k” he texts back.

“I’ll call you over lunch.”

“k” he sends back again.

“What?” he says innocently to Mable, “Staring at me like that isn’t going to bring him back you know. Go over to his place and stare for a while. See if it does any good ok?”

She cocks her head to the side as he speaks to her. He fills his thermos and pats her on the head as he’s leaving.

“Hey Cas,” he hears as he’s walking into the building that morning.

He turns to see Lisa coming toward him. This can’t be good. “Yes?”

“Hey, listen, the girls aren’t doing a car wash for their fall fund raiser this year, they’re trying something new and I was wondering if you’d be willing to help out?”

“How can I help?” he asked her, wondering why he’s being recruited into a fundraising effort for cheerleaders.

“It’s an auction. The girls have been soliciting donations of prizes for us to auction off. We’ve got a lot of good stuff so far, so it seems promising. But I’ve decided to incorporate a bake sale to it and pad it up a little. Your apple pie is legendary around here. I was wondering if you’d be willing to bake us a few to auction off?”

Fuck me. She wants me to bake apple pie. Dean’s apple pie.

“You’re going to auction off a pie?” he challenged incredulously.       

“Well, sure,” she said hesitantly, almost as if re-thinking the idea on the spot due to his poor reaction, “some of the other teachers are bringing in their famous dishes too. Donna’s bringing her strudel and Chucks bringing his ‘better than sex’ cake… you get the idea, right?”

“You know who thinks there’s such a thing as ‘better than sex’ cake?”

“Um, who?” she asked, hesitant.

“People who don’t have sex.”

“Anyways,” she said with a shake of her head, “Can the girls count on you for pies?”

“When do you need them?”

“Friday. The auction will be held right before the football game.”

“Alright,” he agreed, not seeing any way to get out of it tactfully.

“Thanks Cas,” she said with a smile as she stepped away, “you’re the best.”

“Oh, you too,” he said sarcastically under his breath as she bounded off.

Yep. That did it. This day was ruined.

Cas tried all that day and for the rest of the week to shake off the blues that seemed to be descending on him. But no matter what he did, the melancholy mood persisted. He’d already been thinking of Dean before the pies were mentioned. He’d never stopped actually. So, the baking couldn’t possibly the reason he was falling back into the empty sadness that had been his post-Dean life before Zar came along. But regardless of the catalyst, he was backsliding and he knew it. If this kept up, he’d have to end things with Zar. The man was just far too incredible to be committed to someone who wasn’t sharing his enthusiasm.

Thursday night found him in the kitchen, half-drunk from having been out at the bar with his volleyball friends, and trying not to fuck up his ‘famous’ apple pie. The coffee he’d been nursing while he worked was bland to him so he pulled down a bottle of spiced rum and added it. Mable stared at him as he took a sip. “It could be worse,” he told her. “Would you like a bone?”

She sniffed at it when he held it out, but didn’t take it. “Holding out for pie?” he asked her. She stared at him, unmoving. Eventually, she curled up on the floor at his feet while he chopped apples and rolled crust. When pies were safely tucked in the oven, he grabbed the leash and took her out for a walk around the complex.

When they returned, the scent of warm apple cinnamon was filling the apartment and Cas’ stomach turned a summersault. “Okay,” he said to Mable when he pulled three pies from the oven, “Only two of these are going to make it to school tomorrow.”

Cas smiled as he sent a text message to Zar. “You should come over, there’s warm apple pie here.”

The response took a while to come, “Darling, I wish I could but when the department chair asks you to come out for a drink, it’s not optional.”

“Alright. I’ll just be eating alone if you change your mind later and want to stop by for some pie, or some tea or… me.”

“Thank you love, I may stop over if it’s not too late when I’m finished. Either way, I’ll see you tomorrow night for the game.”

Cas chuckled at his flirty text which was nothing more than a thinly veiled booty call. With a potholder in his hand, he worked to cut the pie while it was still way to hot. It fell apart as he did and he ended up literally spooning a serving for each himself and Mable. As he headed for the TV, he found himself wondering if Zar would come by or not. On the heels of that thought was a question… do I even really want him to?

Cas woke up sweaty at about 3 am. His heart was pounding and his cock was hard as a rock. He rolled over on his side and wrapped his hand around it. The dream had been so bright and intense and full of love that the cold reality of his actual bedroom seemed abhorrent. Everything had seemed so real. The warmth… the smell of leather seats… the steam on the windows that kept him from seeing what was outside of the car, and Dean. Dean. Dean with his vibrant eyes and sexy smile, his hot breath on Cas’ shoulder and his whispered words as he fucked in, “I can feel it you know, when you look at me...”

Now, for the first time ever, Cas rubbed one out with Mable in the room. Behind him, she was curled on the bed. If she noticed the bed moving, or the sounds he made, she didn’t care. He was angry as he jacked himself hard, bordering on violent, sickeningly sad. When he was finished, he wiped the tear from his cheek and rolled away from his wet spot. Mable didn’t seem put off. She inched a little closer and moved her head so that it was resting on his arm. He looked down at her big dark eyes, so clearly wishing she could fix whatever was wrong with her master. “I just miss him,” he murmured to her, “It’ll pass.”

Friday afternoon the school was buzzing with activity. Not only were the students exhibiting the normal ‘Friday Fever’ but there was a game tonight. A home game. The halls bustled with exuberant teens. The cafeteria had been taken over by the cheerleaders after lunch. They had moved the tables around, carried in all the items that were up for auction and set to work creating and hanging colorful signs.

When Cas entered, he was surprised by how much work the cheer squad had put into the decorations. He caught sight of Lisa across the room and began walking towards her to find out where to put his pies. He heard a wolf whistle and turned to see where it had come from. A group of obnoxious young boys were making their interest known as one of the short skirted cheerleaders climbed up to the top of a ladder to hang a sign.

“Move it along boys,” he told them firmly, “Besides, you’re old enough to know that disrespectful whistling isn’t going to get you anywhere with the ladies.”

To Cas’ dismay, he watched the young ‘lady’ on the ladder make a liar out of him as she preened for the group, thrilled with their attention.

“Oh just move along!” he barked at the guys. With an eye roll, he stepped up to Lisa and asked where to leave his donations.

“I’ll take them,” she said cheerfully, “Thank you very much for helping out.”

“Sure, no problem. Everything looks great,” he said as she turned away from him. He looked down at his watch and when he looked up again, he saw Zar crossing the cafeteria towards him.

“Hello, darling,” he said sweetly, leaning in to peck Cas on the cheek, “I hope you saved a piece of pie for me, I’ve been dreaming of it since you mentioned it last night.”

“I have some in my classroom,” he answered as they turned and started walking.

“Wonderful! You’d have broken my heart if you’d said it was gone.”

Cas chuckled, more out of duty than anything else. His mind was suddenly ten miles away as he saw Dean from across the room. He worked to appear oblivious but couldn’t resist sneaking a peek. Dean looked good. Dirty, torn jeans. Tight t-shirt. Red shop rag hanging from his back pocket. He had to work hard to tap down the pitter pat of his heart as they neared him. He forced himself to look at Zar as they passed Dean and Lisa. When Dean was to his back, Cas was finally able to re-join the real world. His ears picked up on Zar, who had been speaking to him this entire time, but only now did he actually begin to listen.

“… and so I told him, no, it was a once in a _lifetime_ holiday! So, never again!”

Cas laughed along with Zar at a punchline he couldn’t possibly understand. But it was easier than admitting that walking past Dean had been heart stopping; that Cas may very well be damaged goods that Zar should run screaming from.

The two of them chatted lightly while enjoying pie and coffee in Cas’ office and when it was time for the auction to start, they headed back towards the cafeteria.

Streamer decorated tables lined the outside of the room and a line of parents, kids, faculty, alumni and boosters were shuffling along and looking at the items they’d soon be bidding on. Cas and Zar joined the slow march around the room, exchanging thoughts about what they should purchase to help raise funds.

“What do cheer squads even need money for?” Zar prattled idly.

“I don’t know,” answered Cas with a chuckle, “their skirts seem to get shorter every year… maybe money they raise tonight goes towards an inch less fabric next year?”

“Ah ha,” countered Zar, “a wise investment!”

They shook a few hands and exchanged a few words with people Cas knew as they browsed and when they’d reached the end, they went to find a seat. The entire room was filled with rows of chairs and when Lisa stepped up front with a microphone, everyone clapped for her.

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen,” she began, “thank you for attending our first ever auction! This is a benefit effort by the girls to raise money for several cheer competitions that they participate in annually…”

Cas clapped at the appropriate times during her speech but he was mostly zoned out, his mind not really focused on anything in particular. The first twenty minutes were fun. Zar bid on, and won, a pass to play a round of golf with the resident pro the country club. Before long, Cas felt his butt going to sleep.

“How long do you think this will take,” he joked to Zar, “it’s been an hour already. We’re sitting in folding chairs. I can’t feel my ass!”

“I’ll feel your ass,” the man whispered back flirtatiously.

“And now,” said Lisa dramatically, “the next group of items for bid is specially donated by our own faculty members. Each has contributed a dish that they’re known for around the school. We’re going to start out with Cesar Cuevas, a three year veteran of the science department who has made TresLechesCake. Now, Cesar,” she jokingly called to him, “do you really make the tresleches cakes you bring for pot lucks, or do you just pawn off your wife’s work as your own?”

The audience roared with laughter and he stood up jokingly to take a bow for the crowd.

“We’re going to start off the bidding at eight dollars; do I hear eight dollars?”

Immediately, the crowd was off. By the time there was a single bidder left, the cake had gone for $26. Damn. Cas had to hand it to Lisa. This was going to be a money maker. He and Zar bid on several items and Cas finally won something when he snagged Donna’s strudel for the bargain price of $19. Not only was this making more money than Cas had anticipated, it was fun. He found himself smiling at the bidding action as well as the funny commentaries that accompanied it. As more and more desserts were auctioned off, Cas found himself thinking Lisa was a fundraising genius.

“The next item up for bid is Cas Novak’s legendary apple pie. Cas is new to the faculty this year, but last year as a substitute he brought these pies to several events and trust me folks… this is the best apple pie you’ll ever have! Bidding starts at eight dollars. Do I hear eight dollars?”

“If you’re pissing away nineteen dollars for a crusty strudel,” said Zar as he raised his hand to bid, “I’m going to get a pie.”

“We just had pie,” countered Cas with a laugh as Zar increased his bid.

“Yes, we did, it was delicious,” he nodded, bidding again, “And I should like to have a spot more for when I’m finished shagging you tonight.”

Cas grinned and leaned back to watch and see what would happen. When the bids were still going at $30, he started looking around with interest.

“I have thirty do I hear thirty five?”

Cas saw no one. He had no idea who was bidding against Zar.

“Drop out,” he said to Zar.

“No way.”

“I don’t even think there’s anyone else bidding, it’s Lisa, she’s working you over.”

“I have forty. Do I hear forty five?”

“Zar, drop out.”

“Not a chance,” said Zar in an ice cold voice, “Not for that bastard.”

Cas followed Zar’s fierce eyes and inhaled sharply.

“I have forty five,” Lisa hollered as the crowd started whispering, “do I hear fifty?”

Zar leapt to his feet, “One hundred!” he shouted.

The crowd was roaring and cheering as the bid amounts left sanity behind and crossed into the realm of absurdity. Cas’ jaw dropped as his eyes flicked back to the small crowd lingering in the doorway. He watched as Dean emerged from the crowd and stepped forward to shout, “One fifty!”

“Two hundred,” countered Zar with a determined scowl.

“Fuck!” cursed Cas, “This is getting out of hand. Drop out, Zar.”

“Two fifty!” Dean shouted from the back, again stepping closer.

“Three hundred!”

“Three fifty!”

“Four hundred!”

Lisa was gaping. She wasn’t even auctioning anymore. She was just watching as the two men had a pissing contest, right here in the high school cafeteria.

“Four fifty,” said Dean firmly. He looked over at Zar, close enough now to be within ear shot. “Everyone knows that’s my pie.”

“WAS your pie,” retorted Zar.

Lisa looked back and forth between them. The room had gone quiet and Cas was sitting there hiding his face behind his hands.

“Alright, we have a record setting four hundred and fifty dollar bid for apple pie. The proceeds go to a very worthy cause, ladies and gentlemen. But at this point I feel I must make it known that there are, in fact, two pies. Would the gentlemen care to split the lot and each take a pie for two hundred and twenty five dollars?”

Cas held his breath, unable to bring himself to even look around. He didn’t hear a response from either man, but Lisa must’ve seen a nod because the room relaxed around him when she said, “Wonderful! Thank you to both of these fine gentlemen for their generous contributions to our own Lawrence High cheerleaders! Now the next item up for bid is a ‘better than sex’ cake made by Chuck Shurley. Chuck is a five year faculty member of the math department and…”

Cas was no longer listening. Inwardly, he thanked Lisa for the first time ever. Her intervention had saved him a world of embarrassment. He was still reeling when he felt Zar tuck his arm around the back of Cas’ chair. He tried to, but for some reason he couldn’t look over at his boyfriend. His face was hot and he was tense from head to toe.

When the event finally ended, the crowd began moving toward the exits like a heard of cows. Those who had won items in the auction were lining up to pay and claim their prizes. Thankfully, Cas didn’t see Dean while he waited with Zar to take possession of his own damn pie. Somehow, Cas knew it wouldn’t be appropriate to sit with Dean’s friends now. Not after that display. He suggested that perhaps they should just call it a night. But Zar was adamant that they’d come to see the game and they were staying for the game.

Cas relented when even his blatant bribes of sexual favors were refused. But to avoid any further complications, he led Zar to a seat in the bleachers that was as far from Dean’s friends as they could possibly get. The one time that Zar stood to leave and go get refreshments, Cas politely told the man to stay seated and relax, he’d go get whatever Zar wanted.

Thankfully, the man didn’t put up a fight. He seemed to sense that Cas was at the end of his rope and gave him a peck on the cheek before sitting back down quietly. Cas climbed down from their seats near the top and walked the long way around to the refreshment stand. He managed to return with their snacks without having seen Dean at all.

He actually didn’t see again until the evening was over. He and Zar were saying goodbye at Cas’ car when he heard the heavy rumble of Dean’s Impala. It was an unmistakable sound. Thankfully, it was a sound Zar wouldn’t recognize and he was free to sneak a peek at Dean as he rolled by. He immediately wished he hadn’t. In the front seat of Dean’s precious baby was a blonde woman that Cas didn’t recognize. His stomach revolted against the sight of Dean’s arm draped around her as he cruised out of the lot.

“Darling,” said Zar, snapping his attention back, “I’ll be right behind you. But I can’t stay over tonight. I have an early class that I haven’t prepared for.”

For some reason, it was this moment when Cas finally deflated. “Just go home Zar.”

“Oh come now,” he said, sliding arms around Cas’ waist, “I know I was a bit of an ape tonight, but do you really want to send me away? Force me to eat my pie alone and unsatisfied?”

“I’m sorry Zar,” he whispered as he turned to climb into his car, “I just can’t. I’m sorry.”

He didn’t wait to hear what his boyfriend would say to him. He just shut the door and pushed the button to start the engine. He backed out and joined the long line of cars that was exiting the lot and he didn’t look back.

“Hey girl,” he said sweetly to Mable when he entered the apartment, “Did you miss your daddy?”

She wagged her tail and turned circles at his feet. He smiled as he slid a collar around her neck. “Let’s go take a walk, shall we?”

They were rounding the corner of the apartment complex near the playground when Cas’ phone alert went off. He reached into his pocket and looked at it, already knowing who it would be. He clicked the little icon to retrieve the text message. It was from Zar, as expected. And it was blunt.

“Have I ruined us?”

“No,” responded Cas wincing as he added, “I have.”

“So we’re finished then?”

“I’m sorry,” he replied. It was his third apology to the man in less than an hour. He’d give a hundred more too, if it would help. The man was perfect for him in every way and he really cared for him. But somehow, he just knew he’d never love him. Cas had settled down to sit on the bottom of the slide while he exchanged his last few messages with his now ‘ex’ boyfriend Zar. He took a deep breath and let it go.

Unexpectedly, he found himself laughing. Mable was rolling about in the sand at the base of the slide. She was making all kinds of noises he rarely heard her make and it was so funny to watch her. He let go of the leash since she was getting tangled in it. He continued to watch her enjoy herself for a few more minutes, toying with the phone in his hand. He swiped his thumb across the screen to wake it back up and slid over the contacts page. His thumb hovered over Dean’s name for a moment before dropping down and putting the call through.

Immediately, he hit the ‘end’ button. What was he thinking? He sighed deeply and was just getting up when the phone went off in his hand. He looked at it, wondering if it was Dean or Zar. He tapped the icon to see the message. It was from Dean.

“Pie was worth every penny. I’ve missed your pie.”

Cas warmed all over for a moment before the image of Dean and the blonde flashed back to the front of his mind. He tried to bite down his anger and his jealousy but it got the better of him. He knew his response was immature, but he couldn’t help it.

“Well, I saw you leaving with one of your many groupies so I know you didn’t eat it alone.”

The response from Dean was unexpected. “Are you alone?”

Cas couldn’t think of a clever way to respond. He sat for several minutes, staring at his phone before he suddenly realized he hadn’t heard Mable make a sound for a long time. He looked to his feet and she was gone. No dog. No leash. Fuck!

Frantically he jumped to his feet, eyes searching the playground for Mable. The minute his eyes found her he relaxed. She was only about six feet away from him and had been just lying there quietly, waiting for him. His sudden movement had startled her though, and she was getting to her feet now. He smiled as she ambled up to him, “Daddy thought he lost you for a minute there,” he said as he bent to scratch behind her ears, “Thanks for sticking around. I’d miss you so much if you were gone.”

As he was loving on her, his phone alert went off again. He gathered Mable’s leash and opened the message. “Call me Cas. Please.”

He desperately wanted to talk to Dean. As he contemplated what he’d say when he gathered his courage, the phone rang in his hand. Cas sat back down on the slide, took a deep breath and answered the call.

“Hello Dean.”

“Hey Cas. It’s good to hear your voice.”

“You too,” Cas admitted. His throat was tense and stiff, aching. Swallowing didn’t help. His eyes pricked with tears at the gentle tone Dean was using.

“Is he there?”

“No.”

“I didn’t fuck her.”

Cas opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

“I don’t know why, but I felt like I should tell you that.”

Cas still couldn’t speak.

“I think about you all the time Cas.”

“Me too,” Cas answered. His voice broke over the word and a tear slid down his cheek. The pain in his rib cage was powerful, he couldn’t even take a deep breath, his lungs just refused to expand enough to accommodate. It was as if an elephant were sitting on him.

“You must hate me.”

“I don’t,” he whispered, unable to find his real voice.

“I was so damned stupid,” Dean said on a sigh.

Cas had nothing. His heart ached and his mind spun with things to say, but nothing seemed right.

“You weren’t stupid,” he finally replied, “We were… well, I don’t know what we were. But the fighting had to stop. I understand why you broke it off.”

“No Cas. You don’t.”

“Tell me why then. What don’t I understand?”

“It took me a long time to figure it out,” Dean said quietly, “I didn’t get it myself. I just knew that everything you were doing pissed me off. Every day it was something. But now I get it.”

Cas didn’t say anything. He just waited. The line was silent for a long time.

“I told you once that there’s no point in going out with someone again if you already know it’s not gonna work, right?”

“I remember.”

“Well, it turns out, there’s no point in dating someone when they’re the one you should marry.”

“I… I don’t understand what you mean.”

“You’re the one Cas. Once I knew that, I knew what I needed to do about it.”

“Leave me?”

“Or marry you,” Dean answered solemnly. “There’s no fucking in-between. It was time to shit or get off the pot.”

Cas found the tension broken as he burst out laughing at Dean’s crude analogy. This? This was his Mr. Right? This Knuckle Dragging Neanderthal was the man he couldn’t live without?

Sadly. Yes.

Yes, it was.

It is.

No question.

“Will you come over Dean?” he asked tentatively.

“Will you marry me Cas?” Dean whispered.

“Yes,” Cas whispered back.

“Well, okay then,” said Dean, relief evident in his tone, “I’m on my way over.”

The line went dead and Cas held the phone in his hand tightly as tears streamed down his face. His heart wrenched in his chest and he sobbed out loud in relief, wiping his tear tracks only to find his cheeks wetter and wetter. Mable hopped to her feet, stepping to his side and laying her head on his knee.

It took a few minutes to get himself together before he was able to get up from his seat on the red plastic slide and walk his dog back to the apartment. With each step he took the excitement grew. His mind began to accept the reality of what had happened. Dean was coming. Dean still loved him. Dean wanted to marry him. It was almost too good to be true.

Cas pounded up the stairs to his place, Mable at his side, clearly interested in his ever evolving emotional state and wondering why they were suddenly in a hurry.

Once they were back inside, Cas couldn’t stop pacing. He knew he really should calm down but he couldn’t. He tried forcing himself to breathe slower and that didn’t help either. His head was spinning and his heart was pounding. Mable was just staring at him. “I think I need a shower,” he told her as he moved towards the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, he was drying off and getting into pajamas. He was no longer feeling feverish… much calmer than before. His heart still felt like it was beating heavily but that was to be expected, right? When every dream you never knew you had comes true… you’re heartbeat is bound to be effected, right?

Cas toweled his hair and brushed his teeth while he waited for a knock at his door. When it came, he practically jumped out of his skin. He padded to the door, chest pounding, and when he opened it, Dean pushed in and swept him up in strong arms. Cas loved how it felt to be held by Dean. No other feeling even came close. He let his head fall to Dean’s shoulder as they hugged for a long time.

“I love you baby,” Dean breathed into his skin.

“I love you too Dean.”

Mable was prancing about excitedly at Dean’s return, Cas could hear her claws clicking around on the tile floor. But Dean didn’t put Cas down. He kept tight arms around him as he walked straight to the bedroom and kicked the door shut behind them.

As they neared the bed, Dean lowered him enough to get his feet on the ground and both began working out of their clothes as they slid between the sheets. It wasn’t easy since neither could stand to let go of the other for long, but eventually they found themselves naked and kissing under the covers. With clumsy hands and eager mouths they explored each other completely.

Cas found his fingers skimming over Dean’s chest and down his arms to lace their fingers together; only to unlock their clasped hands a moment later so his palms could cup his lovers face, curl into his hair, grip his shoulders.

The urgency of their touches increased as their cocks bumped together. Breathing became heavier and hips ground together, both men making undignified noises as they licked and sucked and kissed and touched and held. Cas loved the way Dean’s cock twitched as his hand wrapped around it… it was like it remembered his touch and was excited to be held. He loved how Dean kept saying his name too… like he’d been aching to say it for a long time and now he finally could.

The actual sex didn’t last long, but it was incredible. To have Dean sliding back into him again was an indescribable feeling. He never thought he’d have it again and he found his eyes wet and his chest tight again as Dean began to move. This, right now. This was making love. This feeling of coming home… of belonging to Dean… of Dean belonging to him too… this was love. True love. The loss of it had been devastating and to have it gifted back to him now? It lit Cas up from the inside out. With every thrust Dean was pumping his heart and soul into him…Cas felt like he’d swell and burst from it.

He wrapped his arms and legs around Dean and held on tight as he emptied himself into Cas. Then, they sank down into the bed together, still wrapped up tight in one another. They stayed that way as they calmed down from the frenzy and in the quiet afterward, Dean pressed a kiss to the tip of Cas’ nose as he rose to get out of bed.

Cas was reluctant to let him go… not making it easy for Dean to extract himself.

“I’ll be right back,” he whispered against Cas’ cheek, “I’m just gonna let Mable in.”

Cas smiled and sat up in the bed to watch as Dean opened the door and greeted their furry friend for the first time in months. She was overjoyed, paws dancing excitedly as she licked his face and pressed closer to him. Cas laid back down when the two climbed into the bed. It was cozy, the three of them curled up together. Cas was once again overwhelmed with a feeling of home and a certainty that this was how things were meant to be.

In the lingering quiet before they fell asleep, Dean spoke softly to Cas. He said again how sorry he was for leaving, and how Cas didn’t need to worry because it would never happen again. This was his place and he knew that. He’d only left because he wasn’t sure he was ready to be married… but a few months without Cas had shown him that he actually was ready… more than ready.

“So, all the fights about house hunting?”

“I don’t really know,” Dean answered thoughtfully, “I think I saw it as you nesting and it was just another reminder that I was supposed to be proposing.”

“There was never a moment when I was expecting a proposal from you.”

“I know Cas, this wasn’t on you. This. This was on me.”

“You called me a snob. Like, a lot.”

“Yeah, I meant it too. At the time. Now I see that it was just me feelin' like I wasn’t good enough for you. That I was a good time, but not the kind of guy you’d really wanna settle down with.”

“Dean…”

“Don’t Cas. Don’t give me the pep talk. Just… just…”

Cas leaned in then and kissed him, deeply. The subject was closed and left alone as they kissed and petted one another until they couldn’t stay awake anymore.

It didn’t take long for Cas to get used to life with Dean again. For the first few days, he was very needy. He’d hold the man tightly, all night, not releasing Dean even while they slept. He’d make excuses to stop by the shop so he could steal a kiss and check Dean’s eyes to see if that light of love was still shining there. But it was. It always was.

So, as Cas began to trust in their relationship again, he calmed down. Life began to settle into routine. As much as it can for two high school teachers, anyway. Time went by quickly and before he knew it, there was snow on the ground and a ring on Cas’ finger.

Today was December first and the students were restless. The news stations  had all reported a blizzard moving in. The entire student body was collectively hoping for an early out due to weather. Tired of dealing with antsy teenagers, Cas was hoping for an early dismissal just as much as the kids were. He and Dean were going to traveling for the holidays again this year, but this time they weren’t headed for the tropics. They were headed out east for Christmas with Cas’ family and then to the west coast to join Sam in San Francisco for the remainder of the holiday.

They had lots to do to prepare for the trip. So, if school let out early today, Cas was going out Christmas Shopping. He’d ordered a ring for Dean back when Dean had given him his, and if he went shopping today, he’d swing by the jewelers and pick it up. They planned to announce their engagement to their families when they saw them this season… so there was lots to look forward to. Cas checked his phone often for updates on the weather and held a silent vigil in hopes of a snow day, while the students all hoped too (but not so silently).

Adding to the day’s tension, Dean had stepped into his classroom for a few minutes over lunch, teasing him mercilessly and leaving him aching with want… his boner not given the proper attention and sagging sadly as Dean left the room and took his flirty smile with him. Now, with about fifteen minutes left before his next class, Cas decides to head for the teacher’s lounge and grab a much needed cup of coffee. 

As he moves through the halls, he starts to feel self-conscious. He doesn’t want to be paranoid but it sure feels as though students and faculty alike are staring at him, even whispering about him. Stepping into the restroom he sees why. A glimpse of himself in the mirror sets his stomach spinning in a sickening way. Dean’s greasy finger prints are all over his freshly pressed white collar. Again.

 

                            

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment and let me know what you think?


End file.
